Gissing Children's Centre - A Community Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy attending this setting. They engage deeply in their play, both with friends and with staff. Staff join in with enthusiasm and purpose. For example, they suggest the blue blanket is 'water' that children can jump into when playing with sharks. They follow children's interests and extend their ideas. This helps children focus for longer periods. It builds their creativity and confidence. Staff use play to support learning across all areas. Children benefit from rich interactions and consistent support. As a result, they make strong progress in their development.

Staff build warm, trusting bonds with children. They respond with care to each child's needs. They take time to get to know new children. Staff offer calm reassurance and attentive care. This helps children settle quickly. Clear boundaries and steady routines support their development. Staff explain expectations clearly. They also model polite and respectful behaviour throughout the day.

Children behave well. They share, take turns and show kindness to each other. Staff help them listen and support them in sharing how they feel. As a result, children begin to see how their actions affect others. They grow positive social skills in a caring, nurturing setting.

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

• Following a recent oversight in the procedures for recruitment of staff, the provider has taken appropriate action to meet requirements. Leaders have completed relevant training and strengthened the checks they complete for new staff, including references. This helps to assure children's welfare.
• Leaders have designed an ambitious and thoughtful curriculum. It builds children's confidence and self-esteem. By valuing what makes children unique, staff promote emotional well-being and help children feel they belong. Children feel safe and learn to play with others, including those who may be different from themselves. Staff guide children to show respect and kindness and to express themselves confidently and calmly.
• The curriculum supports speech and language well. Staff model language well and help children communicate clearly as well as listen to others. They build strong social skills and prepare children to be resilient and ready for school.
• Physical development is a key focus. Staff help children build strength, balance and control. These skills support early writing. They prepare children for fine motor tasks and a steady pencil grip. Children use play dough to improve hand strength and control. Climbing equipment, such as slides, towers and monkey bars, helps to build upper body strength and coordination.
• Parents receive basic guidance on healthy eating when their child first starts. However, this is not always enough to support parents to make healthy food choices for children's snacks and packed lunches.
• Children enjoy stories from an early age. They snuggle up with staff and stay focused. Staff use books to build on children's language and thinking. They ask questions, such as 'I wonder what she is doing?' Children say, 'She's milking the cow.' Staff reply, 'You're right, she is milking the cow.' Staff add rich language in back-and-forth conversations so that children hear new words and grow their vocabulary in a natural way.
• Staff focus on communication and understanding. They use visual aids, interactive tools and targeted programmes to build vocabulary and expressive language. Staff set clear targets for all children. They work closely with all families and other professionals to support the good progress children make. For example, staff invite parents to attend specific training, such as signing, to help support their children at home.
• Children take part in cultural celebrations and learn about different traditions. Staff encourage families to share special moments and customs from home. For example, children bring in sweets to mark a celebration, which staff share with others. These experiences are not treated as separate events. Instead, staff weave them naturally into everyday activities. This helps children understand and respect different ways of life.
• Staff boost children's confidence by encouraging age-appropriate risks. They show children how to use equipment safely, for example how to climb onto the swing or checking below before dropping toys from a height. These actions help children solve problems, stay safe and face new challenges. Staff guide children to try new things and build confidence.
• Parents praise staff's communication and support. They value the rich experiences on offer and the helpful advice to continue supporting their children's learning and development at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider ways to build on the information shared with parents about encouraging healthy eating for children.