Hollins Wood Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this large, well-organised nursery. The leadership team have considered the needs of the children and families in the local area. They have created home-from-home environments, where children develop close bonds with the staff. Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that supports all children to make good progress. Routines are embedded, and children understand what is happening next in their day. For babies, their routines often mirror those at home. Children smile and wave as they come into the room from outdoors. This creates a warm atmosphere throughout the nursery and helps contribute to children feeling safe and secure.

Behaviour is good. Staff encourage children to take turns, show kindness and wait patiently. Older children squeal with glee as they spray water from bottles. They ask each other politely, 'Please can I have a turn?' Children have many opportunities to develop their independence and freely explore the well-designed environments. They become deeply involved in their play in the indoor sandpits. They extend their ideas to include construction materials strategically placed nearby. Children are confident communicators. They happily chat to visitors and explain that they are making crowns 'like the king and queen wear'.

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

• Staff plan learning opportunities that capture children's attention. For example, they use a parachute and bounce balls inside it. Young children are intrigued with what is happening. They crawl across the room to retrieve the balls for them to do it again. Older children grow their own beanstalks. They talk about how to plant a bean and explain it will need 'soil, sunshine and water to grow'. These high-quality learning experiences excite and motivate children to learn.
• Staff sing songs and rhymes and share books with children. They plan keywords for younger children to hear, such as 'blow', 'splash' and 'bubbles,' as they explore water and foam. However, younger children are sometimes asked lots of questions in quick succession. They are not given enough time to provide the answer. As a result, children's spoken language and thinking skills are not maximised.
• The manager has a clear vision of preparing children for each new stage of their education. For example, younger children move to the next room in friendship groups. This gives them the confidence and support they need to settle in quickly. Older children role play dressing up in their new school uniforms. They talk about which school they will be going to and who is going with them. This preparation helps them make a strong, confident start to school.
• Overall, staff generally promote good hygiene practices across the nursery. Children wash their hands before eating lunch, and they wash their faces after meals. However, arrangements at snack time are not as robust. For example, fruit is available in one large bowl or on a single tray and serving tools are not always provided. As a result, large numbers of children use their hands to touch the fruit when selecting their own. This increases the risk of cross-infection for children.
• Parents appreciate the dedication and care of the staff team. Staff share and extend learning via the parent app and through face-to-face conversations. Parents and staff work together to provide consistency in learning. For example, staff share practical tips that support toilet training or positive behaviour at home. This approach helps children achieve independence in their self-care quickly.
• The special educational needs coordinator is passionate about supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff use their secure knowledge of child development and assessment tools to identify delays or concerns early. Parents attend regular meetings with other professionals and targeted plans are put in place. As a result of these partnerships, children make the best possible progress.
• Additional funding is spent with integrity. For example, children receive individual speech and language therapy sessions on site. This intervention helps to ensure that children avoid long waiting lists and get timely support.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review routines during snack time to further promote children's good health and hygiene
• consider ways to maximise opportunities for younger children to extend their language and thinking skills.