Evolution Childcare @ Newton House

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this bright, welcoming and well-organised setting. They are supported by passionate staff, who have high expectations for children to be happy and independent learners. Staff often use the interests of children to plan activities that quickly engage them in learning. For example, they followed children's interest in planting and growing by creating a garden vegetable patch. Children explain they have planted vegetables and are excited to harvest these. All children make good progress from their starting points in development.

Staff create a wonderfully supportive and safe environment. They are caring and kind role models. Younger children are soothed as staff sing and gently rock them. Children take turns, follow instructions and happily play inside and outside throughout the day. Staff encourage children to develop a love of stories and rhyme. Children talk about the characters from books they have been learning about and have access to cosy reading dens. Daily routines reinforce their sense of belonging and prepare them well for the eventual move on to school.

Children are well behaved and patient. With support from nurturing staff, they begin to understand their feelings and emotions and manage their own behaviour. Children are polite and respectful towards each other and adults. Parents and carers value the close relationships that staff foster with them and appreciate the regular updates on their child's learning journey.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Staff complete regular observations of children's learning and make accurate assessments of their progress. In the main, they carefully consider the resources and activities they provide to ensure that these capture children's interests and support the curriculum. The different areas of the setting are well organised, and there is plenty of space for children to move around and play. Leaders have clear aspirations for what they want children to know and can do.
• Communication and language are a key focus throughout the setting. Children listen to stories and join in with songs enthusiastically, copying actions and repeating words. They find quiet areas to act out the stories they have heard and access books of interest to them. All children gain confidence in communicating and gaining new knowledge.
• Staff manage the care of babies well. Staff give babies freedom to explore using all of their senses. They vary activities to keep babies interested. Staff blow bubbles for them and sing familiar rhymes. They encourage babies to babble and imitate sounds. Staff use lots of positive facial expressions, for example showing surprise and smiling. This reinforces the secure bonds babies have with their key person.
• The setting is calm and inclusive. Staff make adaptations to the curriculum and environment for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use the setting's sensory room to provide a safe place for children to practise their coping skills and emotional regulation strategies. Parents state that staff provide resources to help them to manage their children's learning and behaviours at home. This consistent approach and understanding of children's needs helps them to become increasingly independent and behave well.
• Leaders are aspirational and reflective. They take account of staff's views and provide effective support for staff's well-being. Leaders offer staff training opportunities and hold regular meetings. However, they do not consistently target support for individual staff to enhance their good teaching skills even further. For example, on occasion, some staff do not build on children's learning precisely and are unaware of what is needed to develop their practice further.
• Staff talk to children about exercise and the importance of having a nutritious diet. Children have opportunities to prepare healthy options in the setting together. Children learn the importance of hygiene through activities. Staff remind children to wash their hands and ask them if they know why, to check their understanding. This helps children to develop social skills and learn the importance of good health.
• Staff are passionate about providing children with rich experiences to help them to develop responsible attitudes for life in modern Britain. Children learn about different festivals and learn about a variety of countries and cultures. They support the local foodbank and take part in mental health awareness week, theme days and road safety projects. Staff use these experiences to help children to assess risks and develop their understanding of the world around them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the support for staff to focus on strengthening their individual teaching skills to extend children's learning even further.