First Steps Twerton Children's centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and show an eagerness to go into nursery to start their busy day. Leaders and staff enthusiastically greet children as they arrive, helping them to settle into their play quickly. Children form strong, secure and trusting relationships with the staff who care for them. The youngest children cuddle into staff to share stories or for comfort when they are tired. Older children are keen to involve staff in their games.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children. They implement a curriculum that focuses on children developing their independence and gaining the skills that they need for the next stages in their learning, such as confidence and social skills. The curriculum is well understood and implemented throughout the nursery. Children are keen and confident to explore the wide range of interesting activities and resources that staff provide for them. Older children enjoy working together to make a boat in the role play area. They excitedly talk about the journey they will take using a map. Children enjoy learning how to care for animals. Staff remind them to be gentle as they help to feed and bath the chicks. Children benefit from lots of fresh air and exercise. They enjoy being outside and staff support children's need to be physical. Children enjoy climbing, sliding down the hill and chasing their friends in the garden.

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

• Leaders and staff work well as a team. They have a shared passion for providing children with lots of opportunities and experiences. Leaders help staff to access training and take part in projects which benefit children and enhance their learning. For instance, staff have recently been learning about involving children in science. Children have been taking part in science experiments, exploring different materials and developing their curiosity. Staff feel that this has encouraged children to be more inquisitive.
• Children receive good support to help them to develop their communication and language skills. Staff use a range of strategies with children to help them to learn to communicate their needs, even if they have not yet developed the language to do so. Even the youngest children confidently use gestures to tell staff when they want more food or a drink. Staff act as good role models. They introduce new vocabulary and encourage children to join in with conversations.
• Partnerships with parents are strong and well established. Leaders and staff work closely with children's parents to get to know children's individual needs and experiences so that they can provide the right support for children and their families. Parents say that they are very happy with the care given to their children. Staff keep parents informed about their children's progress. They work together with professionals to access support such as interpreters and advice on issues such as housing. Furthermore, leaders work with the local shops to access food to provide a food bank for parents to use.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with parents, other professionals and staff as she oversees the needs and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The SENCo accesses help through making referrals and by supporting staff to put strategies in place for children to help them to make better progress. Leaders work with staff and the SENCo to ensure that additional funding is well targeted to the needs of the children. Children with SEND make good progress from their starting points.
• Overall, children behave well. They listen to staff and learn to share and to take turns with the resources with the support of staff. However, during some transition times, such as when children are coming in from the garden, children struggle to manage their feelings. They get frustrated and struggle when the environment is loud and busy, and this impacts their behaviour.
• Staff know the children well. They closely monitor and assess children's progress to plan for children's next steps in learning. Most staff are skilled at interacting with children and delivering their curriculum. However, some staff need more support to help them to recognise when children need more encouragement to participate with activities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the organisation of some routines to prevent children from feeling overwhelmed during busy times
• provide some staff with the support needed, to help them to recognise when children need encouragement to engage and participate with activities.