Greenfields Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages display high levels of engagement and interest. They engage in purposeful play and are curious, inquisitive learners. The impact of the curriculum is clear to see, as is the high-quality education. Leaders ensure that the curriculum continues to challenge all children, builds on existing skills and widens their experience. All staff know the children and their families exceptionally well. Staff offer individualised support to every child, providing them with the best possible start in life and enabling them to achieve to their full potential.

Staff deployment is effective and very well considered. High-quality interactions from staff successfully build children's confidence and self-esteem. Staff achieve an excellent balance between allowing children to follow their interests and incorporating the skills they intend for them to learn and practise. For example, children are encouraged to exercise choice and explore self-initiated challenges. They also participate in more focused group activities where they learn how to sit and concentrate for longer periods and develop confidence in speaking and listening. This helps to ensure they acquire the necessary skills to aid their smooth transitions into school, and it lays the foundations for their future learning.

Staff are excellent role models for the children and have high expectations for behaviour. Children learn how to manage their emotions and develop an understanding of how their behaviour impacts on others. Staff are highly skilled at knowing when to intervene and when to step back and allow children time to resolve their own disputes through negotiation and by talking things through.

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

• Staff have an in-depth knowledge of all children's capabilities and proudly talk about their achievements and next steps. Where children enter the setting below expected levels of development and with limited language, targeted support and early intervention ensure that any gaps in learning are quickly narrowed. Staff give high priority to children's language and communication development. They engage in regular back-and-forth conversations with children and allow them sufficient time to process any questions and to respond in their own time. Staff use lots of repetition and well-timed questions to promote language, particularly during group story times. Staff introduce children to new words and talk about their meaning in context, as well as encouraging them to recall their own experiences.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help and support they need because staff act quickly and are proactive in their approach. Careful consideration is given to how any additional funding is spent and to where it has the greatest impact to improve outcomes for children, for instance to provide staff to work on a one-to-one basis with children. It is also used for staff training and to purchase additional resources where identified in children's individual learning plans.
• There is a wealth of opportunity for children to develop their health and physical development. They learn about personal hygiene and oral health, including how to look after their teeth and why this is so important. Children challenge themselves on bucket stilts and negotiate around obstacles, showing excellent balance and coordination. They persevere on tasks and concentrate for long periods on self-initiated challenges with their friends, testing out what will happen if they place different-sized balls down pipes. They learn about motion and speed as they try to bat them away at the bottom before they hit the ground.
• Children display a genuine love of books. They particularly enjoy group story times, and staff skilfully bring stories to life using props and humour to capture children's interest. Children recall events as well as anticipating what might happen next. They talk about the various reasons the different houses didn't blow down in the story. They remember that the house built from bricks is really strong because bricks are heavy and sticks are lighter, as they compare the different properties of the materials.
• Staff invest heavily in their partnerships with parents. They work closely with them from the start, finding out about children's starting points to plan their next steps in learning effectively. Parents report how exceptionally well informed they are about their children's learning. Detailed information is regularly shared with parents both verbally and online, and suggestions are made for how they can support children's learning at home. For example, useful information is shared about how best to support and promote children's communication and language.
• Leaders work closely with local schools and partnerships are strong. Leaders actively seek feedback about how previous cohorts of children have settled into school. They then use this information to reflect on how effective their curriculum is and whether any changes need to be made.
• Leaders operate an open-door policy for their staff. They place high importance on staff well-being and ensure there is time built in for all staff to be able to reflect on their practice and to discuss any concerns. Staff are actively encouraged and supported to attend training to build on their skills and knowledge. This helps to drive improvement and further improve outcomes for children.