Filey Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The setting is recognised for its external initiatives and strong links with the local community. Children are able to access the local library and the bird and animal park and get involved in litter picking. The setting signposts parents to relevant local services to support them with their children.

Children form strong bonds with their key persons. They are eager to enter the setting and quickly join their friends to play. Staff's knowledge of their key children ensures that their individual needs are met. Consequently, children display high levels of engagement and good behaviour. Staff accurately assess children's development, identifying the next steps to sequence their learning. They work closely with other professionals to ensure that children receive the best possible support.

Children independently select their chosen activity from the thoughtfully planned, wide-ranging and well-presented resources. They are excited to explore the selection of activities on offer. They invite staff into their play. Children ask staff to help them move resources around the outdoor area, producing exciting and challenging obstacle courses. Staff know what they want children to learn and provide a wide range of opportunities to ignite children's thirst for learning.

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

• Staff ensure that children develop the physical skills they need to fully participate. Children are supported to develop their walking and balancing skills. They are praised as they move around the challenging play equipment, learning how to climb and jump. Older children learn about the physical effects on their bodies during exercise. They feel their hearts beating fast as they stretch and jump. They know how to calm themselves and rest as they slow their breathing and take deep breaths.
• Staff use exciting storytelling to engage children. Children anticipate what happens next in the familiar stories. Staff use the books to lead conversations and encourage a two-way dialogue. Children are excited to talk about their home lives and make comparisons with the books. Repetition and introduction to new words mean children's language development is continuously progressing.
• The setting has strong links with local schools. Children participate in regular transition visits to prepare them for the next steps in their learning journey. The setting welcomes teachers in to familiarise them with the children and any additional needs they may require support with. Children are excited to move on, and they talk about their new teachers.
• Children are extremely kind to their peers. Staff act as excellent role models as they encourage children to refer to their peers as their 'friends'. Children mirror staff's thoughtful interactions. Children offer tools to their friends to use with dough and suggest different paintbrushes to use.
• Staff respond well to children's care needs. They wipe children's noses and encourage them to wash their hands before eating and after messy play. However, routine care practices can have an impact on other children's play and disrupt their learning. Children learn about healthy food choices. They talk about the food eaten and what they have at home. Children learn about good oral hygiene as they brush their teeth.
• Staff support children to develop their independence skills. Children are encouraged to put on their shoes after play in the sensory room. They pour their own drinks and self-serve their vegetables. However, younger and most able children are not provided with the tools they need for serving snack and promoting good hygiene.
• The provider supports staff well, monitoring their emotional well-being and ensuring their continuous professional development. They use observations of their practice and effective supervision to guide and support staff. The provision is accurately evaluated and areas for development identified. This takes account of staff's and parents' feedback. The provider prioritises actions that have the biggest impact on children's development.
• Staff have high expectations for all children. Children who may require additional help are supported extremely well. Staff take swift action to ensure that children have timely interventions. They seek external support from other professionals to ensure that all children can achieve their potential.
• Although parents no longer take children to their rooms following the COVID-19 pandemic, staff ensure that parents are well informed about their children's time at the setting. They share information about children's ongoing development through evaluations and termly reports. Online applications keep parents informed about children's next steps and the activities provided. They share ideas to help support children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on good hygiene practices by introducing appropriate tools to enable independent food access for those younger and most able children
• support staff to consider how daily routines could be improved to minimise disruption to children's engagement in their learning and play.