Hardmoor Early Years Centre (Daycare)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in the provision. They have strong attachments with their key person, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Staff work hard to develop their bond with children from the first meeting, and this helps children to feel comfortable approaching staff for reassurance when needed.

Children develop their independence skills through everyday routines, such as taking off their boots after outside play. Staff teach children how to feed themselves with a fork and spoon. They provide plenty of encouragement as children practise new skills. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and act as good role models. For example, they model to children how to take turns to help them to understand why they sometimes have to wait for a favourite toy. Children understand the routine and boundaries and know what is expected of them. For example, children remind each other to keep quiet, whispering, 'sshh', as they enter the sleep room, so as not to wake their friends.

Staff teach children about the world around them. For example, children learn about produce as they grow fruits and vegetables in their allotment. Staff encourage children to develop their love of nature. For example, children are fascinated when robins land close by to them, and they enjoy saying hello to the on-site chickens every day.

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

• Staff use assessment successfully to identify and close potential gaps in learning. They work with parents and signpost to relevant professionals, such as general practitioners and health visitors. This ensures that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the support they need to make good progress from their starting points.
• The head of centre has a clear understanding of the curriculum and the overall aims for children's learning. The curriculum builds on what children know and can do as they progress through the nursery. Leaders have begun to support staff in developing their understanding of the curriculum further. However, next steps for children's learning and development are not yet precisely focused enough to support children in making even more progress.
• Staff have skilfully developed children's listening and attention skills. They are able to engage for an extended period of time on one activity. For example, children sit and join in with singing and rhyme time. They join in with the actions and start to use words and phrases they recognise, such as 'baa baa' and 'sheep'. Staff further extend children's communication skills by introducing them to new vocabulary and commenting on their play. For example, staff introduce the word 'rolling' as children roll blocks across a page.
• Staff understand the importance of developing children's physical skills to support their future learning. Children are given the opportunity to explore, climb and jump in the provision's wooded area. They beam in delight when they succeed at challenges, such as walking along the balance beams. Staff ensure there are further challenges for the most able children, such as higher and more challenging climbing equipment.
• Parent partnerships are strong. They comment on how friendly staff are and the affection that staff have for the children. Parents refer to the provision as a community and comment on how supportive staff are. This includes providing support about home learning, to develop children's learning further.
• Overall, staff implement good hygiene routines. For example, children learn to wash their hands before lunch. However, hygiene practices are sometimes inconsistent. For instance, children, at times, have runny noses, which are not wiped clean. This means children are not consistently supported as they begin to develop their understanding of good hygiene practices.
• Staff comment on the positive working atmosphere that is now in place at the provision. Staff talk about how they are well supported by management. They meet regularly together to discuss any concerns or worries, as well as to monitor progress and set targets, helping to ensure a high-quality provision for all. Leaders comment that staff well-being is a priority.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's skills further, to ensure children's planned next steps are sequenced and precisely focused on what children need to learn next
• review hygiene practices so they are consistently followed, and ensure that hygiene standards are of the highest quality.