Holders Farm Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff work closely with parents to ensure they have relevant information about the children. This ensures they plan appropriate next steps for children's development. Effective procedures for tracking children's progress are in place. This means that gaps in children's development are recognised and acted on. As a result, all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make progress.

Staff spend time teaching the children new skills. They show them how to set up and play a bowling game. They take the time to show the children how to arrange the pins and roll the ball correctly. Staff guide the children on how to use the cutters when they are using the play dough. This helps children to be successful in their chosen activities. Children continue to use these resources successfully when the adult withdraws.

Staff provide activities that develop children's physical skills. Children demonstrate good coordination as they practise throwing and rolling balls to each other. They can skilfully climb the steps of the slide and manoeuvre their bodies when they reach the top. Staff have identified that children need extra support with their fine motor development. As a result, they have added resources to the continuous provision to allow children to practise their fine motor skills throughout the day.

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

• There have been clear improvements since the last inspection. Leaders have addressed the weaknesses identified and continue to evaluate the quality of the provision. They have welcomed support from their local authority advisers. They have taken part in schemes designed to improve outcomes for children. They have carefully considered the current cohort of children and make sure that the environment and routines meet their needs.
• Staff have improved the opportunities they provide for children to become independent with their self-care skills. Children are encouraged to put on their shoes and zip up their coats when they go into the garden. At mealtimes, they wash their own hands and open their own lunch boxes, knowing to eat their sandwiches before any treats. Staff ask children if they would like help with tasks before they support them. This gives children the opportunity to persevere with tasks independently if they wish.
• Staff have implemented positive behaviour strategies. When children need to be reminded about the rules, the reasons behind them are explained. This ensures children understand why the rules are in place and learn how to self-regulate their behaviour. As a result, children know what is expected of them and are well behaved. Children play cooperatively with each other, and share and take turns with minimal support. For example, when children join the play dough activity, their friends happily give them some of their play dough to use. Children are praised for this positive behaviour.
• Staff have meaningful conversations with children that are personal and individual to the child's needs. Staff use these interactions to provide information to further children's knowledge and understanding. However, when staff ask children questions, this is mainly to test their current knowledge rather than to encourage children to think critically or voice their own ideas and suggestions.
• The manager has built strong partnerships with parents. Staff are aware of the needs of the local community and individual families. This allows them to support children and families appropriately. As a result, parents speak very highly of the nursery. Parents of children with SEND comment on the invaluable support and guidance they receive from the setting. Parents are kept fully up to date regarding their child's development and are kept informed about how best to support their children's learning at home.
• Staff are well supported by the manager and value the support they receive from her. Effective supervision and coaching methods are in place at the nursery to help staff make continual improvements to their practice. Staff morale is high and teamwork is effective. This means that children are cared for by happy and motivated staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their interaction skills to extend children's critical thinking skills.