Imagination Childcare Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are thriving superbly in their communication and language development across all age groups. Babies are cheerfully babbling and developing early communication. Toddlers are practising their newly learned language skills by creating friendships and communicating their needs to trusted staff. Pre-school children have exceptional language skills, and confidently have meaningful conversations with adults and peers during role play and circle times. They are currently learning sign language as alternative communication and to develop strong relationships with peers with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff provide engaging and interactive story times to support the development of language. They are excellent role models as they strongly promote their calm, caring and supportive nature.

Children have grasped a superb understanding of the world around them. The remarkable knowledge that they retain is developed from the staff's skilfully planned experiences for all children. The children connect with other nurseries from England and abroad. They send pen pals photographs, drawings and postcards of their nursery experiences and receive similar post back. The children understand the importance of being part of a community as they regularly visit the elderly in their retirement home to share generational experiences. They visit pet shops and farms to explore the life of animals and how they are cared for. These experiences support children to name several countries and comprehend the types of animals that live there.

Children demonstrate exceptional behaviour. They have excellent understanding of the rules and remind their friends about specific rules during play. Children are kind and considerate to each other and encourage all peers to join them in their play. Children are extremely focused as staff continually provide them with experiences to progress their curiosity and guide their learning.

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

• The manager has a remarkable understanding of child development. She has established an exceptionally well-planned curriculum that promotes inclusion, diversity and rich learning opportunities. This ensures all children feel safe and valued and are learning to the best of their abilities. The manager has a vision for all children to learn and develop freely towards their own interests. These interests are observed and developed by staff to create rich learning experiences that the children deeply engage and thrive in.
• Staff strongly promote inclusion and diversity throughout the setting. They develop deep knowledge of each child and the lifestyles and backgrounds of them and their families. Staff comprehensively join children in learning about their similarities and differences. They go to great efforts to ensure all children feel celebrated in the embracing environment. For example, children are encouraged to explore each other's ethnicity, culture and religious beliefs. Children bring in belongings that symbolise their culture or have importance to them. Family members come into the setting to help their child discuss special festivities that they celebrate, and read stories to build on this knowledge.
• Parents feel exceptionally supported by staff and leaders. They are provided with detailed information about their child and their ongoing learning and development. Parents appreciate the information and learning ideas to continue at home. They have gained confidence in their own parenting skills from the support and advice of staff. Parents feel strongly included within the setting due to the many enriching opportunities to be involved in their child's learning. Some of these include stay-and-play sessions, parent reading sessions and talks to the children about their occupations. All of these extend children's connection between nursery and home life and promote a positive sense of self-worth.
• Leaders develop a strong support network for all staff. Staff access training to further develop their highly professional skills. Leaders take care of staff's well-being to ensure they feel valued, provide a high standard of care and learning to the children and are content in their roles. There are two well-being champions within the setting who are a support network to staff and children.
• Children with SEND have impeccable support. The manager strives for children with SEND to achieve the best possible outcomes by creating positive links. These include outside agencies, parents, staff, and key people at other settings the children attend. Collaboratively, all services provide wrap-around support to ensure children achieve high levels of development and positive well-being.
• Children relish in their increasingly high independence skills. Babies are developing skills to feed themselves. Toddlers are caring for their individual needs and the needs of others. For example, toddlers are learning how to do up their own coat zips. They also try to help others to zip up their coats. Pre-school children are extremely independent and do not rely on staff in their day-to-day play and exploration. They help themselves to snack, clear away their plates and pour their own drinks.