Footsteps to Dolphin Street

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's learning and development is extremely well supported at this very inclusive setting. Relationships between staff and children are wonderful. Staff are very patient, calm and understanding. They work hard to include all children in every aspect of the nursery day, with care and respect. Children are very settled, happy and secure. They delight in their play, such as when they explore with flour and water. Children are focused and willing to have a go.

There is a very strong focus on positive reinforcement. Staff praise and encourage children. This helps to raise children's confidence and self-esteem. Staff place stickers on a 'superstar' chart to help children to recognise when they are being helpful and kind to others. Children are encouraged to do the same for staff. Staff help children to feel secure by using pictures to help them to understand the daily routine and what is going to happen next. They support children to take part in 'big movement time' before sitting to help them to settle, focus and be ready to learn.

There is outstanding support for children to help them to explore and manage their feelings and emotions. Staff encourage children throughout the day to think about and express how they are feeling. Staff help children to calm themselves through breathing techniques. They let children know that their emotions are natural and valid.

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

• Staff provide excellent support for children to become increasingly independent. They encourage children to blow their noses, wash their hands, safely chop their fruit at snack time and pour their own drinks. Children carry their own chairs to sit on at circle time. This means they are at the same height as their friends who use wheelchairs. This helps all children to feel a sense of inclusion and belonging.
• Staff encourage children to act and think independently. For example, they encourage children to vote at circle time for a story or song. This helps to teach children about fairness and democracy.
• Staff know children and their families very well. They use highly effective methods to gather information about children's development and monitor their progress. This includes visits to children's homes before they start at the setting, as well as observations and reports about how they settle and progress.
• Children receive very high levels of individual attention. All staff consistently provide high levels of care. They understand where children are in their learning and plan tailored support to narrow any gaps in their achievement.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is outstanding. Staff are highly skilled at identifying and assessing children's needs.
• They put in place a very comprehensive range of strategies to help to support all children's learning and development.
• Partnership working is exemplary. Staff work very closely with a range of professionals from education and health who are involved with children in their care. They share relevant information, attend and hold meetings, help implement strategies and review children's progress. This helps to create a consistent approach to supporting children's learning.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are outstanding. Feedback from parents is excellent. Parents appreciate how supportive, caring and nurturing staff are. The setting provides parents who need additional support with practical help, such as emergency care packages, a food and clothes bank, hot meals and a home lending library for toys and resources.
• Managers provide a range of very helpful and sometimes life-changing services for parents. This includes a 'happy to help scheme' through which staff signpost parents to additional services. Managers also provide help with translation and completing forms, as well as support for parents to secure funding and gain qualifications.
• Staff plan a range of exciting experiences for children to explore their community and help to widen their understanding of life outside the setting. This includes nature walks and trips to the local supermarket and library.
• Managers place a very strong focus on outdoor play. They recognise the benefits to children of fresh air and exercise, particularly for those children who do not have access to outdoor space at home.
• Support for children's communication and language development is outstanding. Staff use sign language to help support children's understanding. They provide plenty of time for children to respond to questions.
• Managers use additional funding received by the setting to provide music sessions for children that promote movement and rhythm. This provides opportunities for children to develop their physical and language skills still further.
• Managers comprehensively evaluate the service they provide by gathering views and opinions from parents, other professionals and staff. They reflect fully on children's experiences and use information about children's progress to identify strengths of the setting and any areas they need to develop further.
• Staff work together extremely well as a team. Managers provide very strong support for staff, in terms of their professional development and well-being. Staff benefit from excellent opportunities for training. Managers share their skills and knowledge with staff at the setting and staff at other settings in the local area.