Fledglings Rossington

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children benefit from an ambitious curriculum that is tailored to each child's individual needs. Managers and staff have an excellent knowledge of how young children learn and develop. They consider the existing skills and experience that children arrive with. For example, they know that children often do not have access to outdoor spaces. They know that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on children's social and language skills. They ensure that they prioritise learning that supports these areas.

Staff build lovely bonds with children. They comfort and cuddle them whilst reading a story. Children quickly calm and settle with the familiar adults who care for them so attentively. At the end of each session, children and staff sing a song together as they gather in the cosy area. Children are offered blankets to make them feel more comfortable. This is part of the daily routine and helps to prepare them for the next part of their day. Daily routines support children to feel safe and nurtured.

Staff are highly skilled at helping children to understand how their behaviour impacts others. When children occasionally struggle to resolve conflicts over shared toys, staff sensitively remind them about sharing. Children quickly respond by sharing out their toys. Children help to tidy up after themselves. Staff encourage children to say, 'please' and 'thank you' and they model this consistently. Staff engage with each child at their level and make eye contact as they speak to them. Children demonstrate their kindness as they help each other to take off their shoes.

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

• Leaders and managers are ambitious and clearly focused on placing children's needs and interests at the heart of that they do. There are clear examples of the positive impact that this has on all children. Children who arrive with substantial needs and difficult circumstances leave the setting thriving and exceeding their milestones.
• Learning is thoughtfully sequenced to build upon pre-existing skills. Each skill that children are expected to learn builds upon a previously learned skill. For example, children in the baby room make marks with their fingers. As they transition, they learn to draw shapes and pictures and then move onto writing letters and numbers.
• Babies have an excellent start to their early learning. Staff sit and share stories with them. These stories are clearly familiar to them as they start to fill in the words when staff pause. The environment is purposefully organised to meet their needs. There is space to sleep and rest, and spaces to climb and crawl. Furniture is arranged to practice going from sitting to standing. Babies develop their skills quickly and securely.
• Children take part in a wide range of experiences that are above and beyond what they would usually have access to. They develop their interests and hobbies as they take part in yoga and football sessions. They visit local homes for the elderly and learn about compassion and caring for others. Children learn about the world around them and how they can make a positive contribution.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit greatly from learning that is specifically tailored to their individual needs. Staff have high expectations for all children. The special educational needs coordinator undertakes their role to a high standard. They support staff to ensure that all children receive provision that is inclusive and appropriate for their needs. All children, including those with SEND make rapid progress from their starting points.
• Funding is carefully used to fully benefit children. Managers provide resources to send home so that parents can continue learning at home. Support for parents to develop their children's learning at home is exemplary and parents describe the impact of this. They say that their children make rapid progress in their communication and language skills.
• Performance management is incredibly well focused to ensure it consistently supports the ongoing develop of staff teaching skills. The manager observes staff teaching and provides constructive feedback to help them to develop their skills even more. For example, she encourages staff to model the structure of conversations and taking turns. This contributes to the excellent progress that children make in all areas of learning.