Lisson Grove Creche

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting happy and separate from their parents with ease. Staff ensure that children feel safe and secure. They develop positive relationships with children. Children are becoming independent learners. For example, children eagerly get ready for trips and put on their high-viz jackets. By the time children are ready to start school, they have the skills they need. Children make choices in their play and learning. This helps to develop their confidence. Children enjoy regular trips to the local community to learn about the wider world. For instance, weekly trips to the local library through the local street market give children opportunities to look at and talk about different fruits they see on the way.

Staff have high expectations for all children overall. Children are curious and motivated to learn. They thoroughly engage in a variety of good learning opportunities. Children's behaviour is supported well across the setting. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts, achievements and positive behaviours. Children develop high levels of self-esteem, as well as positive attitudes to their learning. Younger children have strong bonds with their key person. Older children seek staff out to show their accomplishments and share their ideas. All children confidently approach staff for comfort and reassurance and settle quickly in their attentive care.

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

• Staff have a generally good understanding of what they want children to learn through the curriculum. They have good knowledge of what children know and can do. Staff plan a clear and sequenced curriculum for all children that follows their interests. They have core books and use this to build on children's next steps in learning.
• The manager and staff team have ambitious expectations for all children overall. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are supported well. Staff work alongside other agencies involved in their care and learning. Staff use information they obtain from parents, in the beginning, to plan for what the children need to learn next. Children make progress from their starting points.
• Staff act as good role models as they interact with children. They listen when children talk and value what they say. Children confidently hold conversations with staff and describe past events. For example, children talk about what they see on trips and are keen to talk about different bus numbers and where they go. However, at times, staff do not make the most of these learning opportunities to challenge children and enhance their development further.
• Children's speech and language are a priority. Staff model language well through good interactions with the children. Staff extend children's language and introduce new words when children enjoy craft activities. Children enjoy blowing bubbles in the water to develop their facial muscles used for speaking. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. They see and hear their home language when staff introduce new words to them.
• Staff support children to develop healthy lifestyles. All children enjoy regular access to different outdoor spaces within the community, where they practise their physical skills. For instance, local parks and play areas are used to develop children's climbing and balancing skills. Children enjoy regular walks to the local canal to see wildlife and the boats as they go past.
• Early mathematical language is emerging through children's play. Children count and recognise numbers. They talk about different sizes when they see cranes at construction sites and compare them to the buildings around them.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents are happy with the information they receive from staff about their child's care routines and the regular story books they bring home. However, staff do not regularly share children's next steps in learning with parents to enable them to further support their children's learning at home.
• Staff are well qualified. They speak enthusiastically about their roles and say they feel valued and supported by the management. Staff receive information during their induction about the expectations of their role. Staff are well supervised and meet regularly with the manager to discuss their professional development. They receive guidance and training to help them improve their skills and knowledge.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make the most of opportunities to enhance children's learning and raise the quality of education further
• strengthen communication with parents so they know and understand their children's next steps and can further support learning at home.