Home from Home Childcarers

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive high-quality teaching. They benefit from a bright and child-friendly environment and an exciting curriculum. Children are greeted by happy, caring and attentive staff and leave their parents with ease. They show an eagerness to learn and quickly engage in activities provided. Children are confident, settled and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. An effective key-person system means that children have established secure bonds with familiar adults. The pre-school's special educational needs coordinator is very knowledgeable and experienced. The pre-school is inclusive, and children receive the support they need to enjoy a meaningful day. Professional relationships have been established with the parents and outside agencies, to ensure that they are informed and fully involved in the education and support provided for their children.

The nurturing staff speak with care and respect to the children and offer lots of praise and encouragement for their efforts. Children have good manners and know to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Children's communication skills are developing well. They are confident speakers, show curiosity and ask lots of questions. Children learn Makaton signs and staff encourage the use of signing during group time. Children show sustained levels of concentration, as staff are skilful in capturing their attention. Children are encouraged to interact during group times. For example, they are keen to predict the weather and confidently discuss days of the week. The environment is rich in text, and staff engage children in meaningful conversations.

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

• All children make good progress in their learning. This is because the team provide a broad range of teaching opportunities. The curriculum is exciting, ambitious, planned around children interests and what they need to learn next and offers sufficient challenge. Staff are encouraged by the management to continually improve their knowledge and understanding of how children learn.
• Staff use initial assessments well to ensure that they know what the children need to learn next. Children can initiate their own learning and they choose where they want to play. They relish their time outdoors in the exciting garden. They engage staff in their games. For example, children invite staff for 'dinner' that they prepare in the mud kitchen. Quality resources are easily accessible to enable children to make choices and select what they need.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their mathematical understanding through planned activities. Everyday routines encourage children to complete simple sums. For example, they are encouraged to count to see if there are enough chairs at lunchtime and if the number matches children present. They identify shapes and numbers throughout their play and through familiar songs at song time. They comment that their friends are sitting in a 'semi-circle'.
• Parents positively praise the pre-school. They comment how grateful they are for the support that is provided to their children and the family. They appreciate the informative, daily communication they receive. They say they feel the staff genuinely 'care and love' their children and can leave them fully assured that they are receiving 'exemplary care'. As a result of staff's commitment to establish and continue positive partnerships with parents, children's interests at home are fully supported at pre-school.
• The owner and manager strive for excellence and have high expectations for the children. They recognise the importance of ongoing training and the impact this has to promote positive outcomes for children. Staff's professional development is supported through supervisions, appraisals and peer observations. Staff speak with enthusiasm and comment that their well-being is considered. They say they feel valued and enjoy their time at work.
• Children enjoy stories in the garden. In addition, there are some exciting props and puppets available to encourage interaction. However, there is scope to inspire children's interest further, as staff do not always encourage children do not take full advantage of books on offer indoors.
• Children access a cosy space if they choose to be calm and sit quietly. Some resources are available to them, such as books that depict different emotions. Staff are aware of the importance of supporting children's emotional development. However there are fewer focused opportunities for children to learn about emotions and how to regulate their feelings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance opportunities for children to expand their enjoyment of books
• strengthen the focused activities within the curriculum to support children's understanding of emotions and develop further their vocabulary to enable them to express how they feel.