Fairhaven Under Fives Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish at this outstanding setting. The dedicated team members are passionate about building strong relationships with children and their families. They take time to get to know children and discover their unique personalities. Staff use this information creatively to offer personalised activities that help children to build trust and feel safe. Children settle exceptionally well and walk into nursery with confidence. They delight in the consistency of the routines and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. The positive influence of the nursery team inspires children to be kind and compassionate to others. For instance, children are eager to help others. They notice when someone does not have a chair to sit on and go out of their way to collect one for them. When children struggle to remove the lid from their glue, their friends instantly offer to help them and show them how to do it.

Children are immersed in an abundance of inspiring learning opportunities. They delight in exploring and investigating. Children build towers with wooden bricks and compare heights, discussing whether they are taller or shorter than themselves. Staff skilfully offer challenge by asking questions that support critical thinking. For instance, when building a wooden house for the three pigs, children are encouraged to consider how they can keep their sticks standing upright. Outside, children practise using hula-hoops. Staff talk to them about how to swing their hips in rhythm to keep up the momentum. They invite children to practise spinning their hoops in different ways, including on their arms. Staff instil confidence in children to have a go, even when they are doubtful of their abilities. They offer praise for children's achievements, no matter how big or small.

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

• Leaders and managers have created a meticulously planned curriculum that is thoughtfully designed and expertly sequenced. The dedicated team offers children opportunities to practise and perfect their skills through stimulating experiences. Children delight in sharing that they have created the letters from their name using play dough. Others patiently wait for their turn to explore the gymnastics bars. The attentive staff closely monitor children as they explore different ways of swinging. Children skilfully manage risks and negotiate how to manoeuvre their bodies safely.
• The experienced team members use robust assessment procedures to identify children's learning needs and monitor their progress. They use their extensive knowledge of child development to create individual plans for children. This provides children with inclusive, exciting learning opportunities tailored to their specific needs. For instance, staff swiftly identify when children require support with their fine motor skills. They offer an abundance of activities to strengthen their muscles, such as manipulating dough and exploring ways of tearing paper.
• Children engage for extended periods as they investigate shapes and patterns in paper. They use their fingers to grip and tear paper into different shapes and use them to create pictures and 3D models.
• Swift action is taken by staff and managers when there are concerns about a child's development. They liaise with parents as a priority and make timely referrals to the appropriate agencies. Additional funding is used effectively to provide appropriate support to children. This enhances children's opportunities to have inclusive experiences. Leaders and staff attend training to enhance their knowledge and skills in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work together to ensure that children can access all areas of learning. As a result, all children make excellent progress.
• Children thrive in this communication-rich environment. Staff use a variety of tools to enhance their development, such as Makaton signing and visual cues. Children delight in joining in with daily adult-led activities. They sit silently, watching and listening intently at what will come out of the bucket. Staff maintain children's attention as they masterfully describe each object, providing repetition of key vocabulary. Children develop a love for reading and sharing stories. They choose stories to take home each week to share with their families and enjoy retelling them when they return to nursery.
• Children are confident, independent learners. They proudly attend to their own toileting needs and understand the importance of washing their hands. At snack times, children make healthy choices about the fruit that they would like to eat and select them using tongs. They pour their own drinks and chat to their friends as they enjoy this social time. Staff support children to prepare for primary school. They provide uniforms for children to practice dressing themselves and build confidence in their abilities. Children stop and listen immediately when they hear the tambourine. They eagerly help to tidy up and ask staff what else they can do to help.
• Leaders and managers maintain strong partnerships with parents and carers. They recognise the importance of this relationship and routinely share assessment information with parents in a timely manner. This enables parents to support their children's precise development at home. Parents speak fondly of the team members and the dedication that they provide for the care and education of their children. They say that their children make exceptional progress and thrive at this outstanding setting.
• Leaders and managers are highly committed to strengthening their team. They regularly attend training to improve their knowledge and ability to support the well-being of their staff. Staff receive consistent reflection and feedback on their practice. They are aware of how they can improve their teaching and speak highly of the professional development opportunities available to them.