Maden Early Years and Childcare Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and are keen to embrace their friends and staff. They interact well with their peers and familiar adults, demonstrating a strong key-person system. Children are taught to be sensitive to others' needs. Emphasis is placed on inclusion throughout. Children happily share their thoughts and experiences through conversation and interaction. Their interests and next steps of learning are carefully planned for. The curriculum ensures children's knowledge is built upon and prepares children well for transitions. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are soon identified and links are formed with parents and outside agencies. As a result, children are given targeted support. Communication and language activities are available for parents to access at home. Children then share their experiences using photos and discussions.

Staff support children's emotional well-being, providing reassurance and comfort when needed. Sleep time for the younger children is calm, peaceful and relaxing. This allows children to self-regulate and prepare for the rest of the day. Children display good manners. They have good table etiquette, saying 'please' and 'thank you' appropriately. Children are praised for their kindness by staff. They follow routines well and know what is expected of them, for example looking after the resources and sharing with others. A sense of uniqueness is established early on with personalised pictures to help children identify their belongings and where to place them.

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

• The setting is organised well. Leaders recognise the need for change and improvement where necessary. For example, they have recently relocated the baby provision to an area that is bigger and more suitable to the babies' needs. As a result, staff have noticed that children are happier and more settled.
• Overall, the curriculum is well planned and children access a range of activities and learning opportunities. However, activities outdoors can lack focus and are not as well thought out. At times, children run round and do not settle. This means that children are not getting as much focused learning as indoors.
• Leaders support staff well. The manager believes in high levels of staff well-being, offering support when needed. Staff regard the leaders and managers highly. As a result, children are supported by well-trained, knowledgeable staff.
• In each room, staff talk about the focus for promoting independence for all children. Children fill their own water bottles and put their own shoes on. However, practitioners serve children their meals and pour drinks for them. In addition, they provide tissue stations but the children's noses are wiped for them by the staff in the room. This does not consistently support children to develop their independence.
• The SENDCo ensures children with SEND have detailed learning plans which are developed alongside parents or carers, key workers and outside agencies such as speech and language therapists and specialist teachers. This robust system of regularly reviewing targets is effective and supports all children to make good progress.
• Teaching is age-appropriate and supports children's next steps in learning. Stimulating resources and activities invite children to play. For example, children explore playing in water. They practise simple pouring, filling and rolling actions using different-coloured containers. This helps children to develop their thinking and build their concentration skills.
• Communication and language are well supported. Staff are receptive to what children say. For example, staff talk with children about the shapes they have noticed in the environment. They listen carefully to children and ask them to identify the shapes they can see. This helps children to become confident in initiating discussions.
• Parents value and appreciate the care and attention given to their children. They comment on the setting's high standards and the safe, secure environment where children learn. Communication with parents is of high priority. Staff consistently inform parents of their children's achievements and next steps. This helps to provide a consistency of care for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• maximise opportunities for all children to develop their independence and self-care skills
• develop the outdoor curriculum to provide a stimulating and organised area for children to learn.