Hayeswick West Wickham

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff provide an ambitious curriculum to promote all areas of learning. They want children to become as independent as possible. Therefore, the provision is organised to enable children to make choices and lead their own play. Staff support children to progressively build on their self-care skills. As a result, children become adept at tasks, such as washing their hands and eating with cutlery. This helps children to feel confident in themselves and prepares them for starting school. Staff teach children to keep themselves healthy and safe. They provide nutritious meals and daily outdoor play in the large garden. As children create an obstacle course using tyres and planks, staff ask questions, such as 'Is it safe to walk on?' This helps children to begin to recognise and manage risks.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They consistently remind them of the 'golden rules', such as using 'listening ears' and 'gentle hands'. This supports children to understand what is expected of them. Staff give a high priority to children's emotional security. They are caring and supportive, which helps children to develop affectionate bonds. Staff use thoughtful approaches, to foster children's sense of belonging. For example, they create personalised books and displays, with photos of children's families and words in their home languages. Children show that they feel happy and secure in the setting. They interact confidently with others and focus intently during their play.

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

• Leaders are passionate about giving all children a positive start to their education. They understand that effective communication skills are key to children's good progress. Therefore, speaking and listening are promoted throughout the setting. Staff introduce children to a broad range of words as they sing, converse and look at books together. Leaders ensure that children who need extra support are identified swiftly, to help minimise any gaps in their development. This helps all children to be ready for their next stage of learning.
• Children thrive in a welcoming and inclusive environment. Staff value the diversity of cultures and languages within the setting. They provide fun ways for children to explore their similarities and differences. For instance, children learn how to care for different types of hair as they play in a pretend hairdressing salon.
• Staff use children's interests to plan the learning experiences. This draws children to the activities and ignites their love of learning. For example, staff know that children are excited about Christmas. They provide a present-wrapping activity, to help children to develop their smaller muscle movements. Children are eager to take part and motivated to keep trying. They fold paper around boxes and cut sticky tape with scissors, strengthening their hands and fingers in readiness for learning to write.
• Children behave well. They develop good social skills, which enable them to form strong friendships. Staff support children to resolve minor disputes and give cuddles if they are upset. They include discussions about emotions during group activities. However, staff do not consistently help children to acknowledge and name how they are feeling, to help them to better understand and regulate their emotions.
• Leaders and staff work hard to develop strong partnerships with parents and carers, ensuring a two-way exchange of information about children's care and learning. Parents comment on the nurturing and attentive care that staff provide for children. They value the opportunities to be involved in their children's education. For instance, parents attend termly stay-and-play sessions, which provide ideas to help them continue children's learning at home.
• Staff describe the setting as 'one big family'. They feel well supported by leaders, with their professional development and in their personal lives. Staff say that they update mandatory training regularly, which helps them to keep children safe and well. They appreciate the opportunities to improve their childcare qualifications and build on their teaching skills.
• Staff complete daily checks to identify and remove risks within the environment. Leaders are reflective and make changes where needed, to ensure that risk assessments are robust and contribute to keeping children safe. They work alongside others to investigate and identify areas where further improvements can be made. Leaders keep robust records to reflect this.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to be more consistent with helping children to acknowledge and regulate their own feelings and emotions.