Hawthorn Tree Community Children's Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children look forward to attending this inviting and inclusive nursery. Children form close bonds with their key person as well as with the other adults in their room. They confidently approach adults for support and reassurance when needed. Babies settle quickly and thrive with close, nurturing support from adults. Staff encourage babies to explore using all their senses. They set up oats in a tray, which babies use their whole bodies to explore, and watch in wonder as they sprinkle the oats.

Children show resilience and teamwork when they problem solve to fix a hole in their obstacle course. Staff value children's efforts and praise them for their good thinking. From babies to pre-school children there is a strong sense of independence and self-care. Children wipe their own nose with gentle support and guidance from staff. Children use interesting language. For instance, when exploring capacity, tipping and pouring cereal they say, 'it is like a volcano splashing lava out.'

Children make firm friendships with others. They take the hand of their friend and explore the rooms. Staff give children with special educational needs and/or disabilities super attention. These children have the same opportunities as other children and thrive on the staff's high praise for their engagement. This helps them to make progress over time.

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

• The managers and staff genuinely have the children at the heart of everything they do. They care deeply about outcomes for children. Staff report high levels of support for their well-being. They have regular supervisions with the managers and feel they are listened to and valued.
• The provider has a strong a curriculum that is ambitious and child centred. The aim of the curriculum is to give children independence, confidence, a wide range of experiences, and the knowledge they need to succeed in life.
• Staff offer a good overall mix of adult-guided experiences and children's self-chosen play. Very occasionally, staff interactions do not engage and extend some children's learning during free-play and large-group time. For example, some children become distracted from large groups and wander away.
• Staff get to know the children well and plan learning experiences based on their interests and next steps. Staff link learning intentions to children's developmental goals. One example of this is when children concentrate when they are sticking and gluing. They use their fine motor skills to spread glue, and talk eloquently about their collage.
• Staff skilfully help children who speak English as an additional language to make good progress in their communication. For example, staff use pictures to help children to know what they expect of them and what is going to happen next.
• Staff create environments that are rich in language. Those working with babies narrate, model and repeat key words to encourage babies' first words and early language. Staff repeat back sounds babies make and babies thrive on the interaction. This helps to promote the good progress babies make with their communication and language.
• Staff understand the different range of experiences children have at home, which they build on. One example of this is that staff know that some children do not have access to large outdoor spaces. As a consequence, they actively encourage daily fresh air and physical play. Children show they thoroughly enjoy their outdoor experiences as they demonstrate super physical skills, balancing on the obstacle course and whizzing around on bicycles.
• Staff encourage children to be independent and to make their own choices, from where they hang their coat, deciding what healthy snack to choose, to what learning activity they take part in. Therefore, children benefit from learning skills that will lead them to being ready for the next stage of their learning.
• Staff are supportive and challenge children to think about how they can resolve their minor conflicts. For example, when two children want the same train, staff encourage them to stop and think what they could do. The children engage with the staff and share out the trains between themselves.
• Parents speak highly about the supportive and caring staff. They feel well informed about their children's progress, for example, through daily feedback and online updates via apps.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the quality of interactions with all children to help enhance and extend their learning during free-play and large-group activities.