Maiden Newton Childcare Provision

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very happy, secure and content at this caring setting. Children are treated as individuals and their personal needs and interests are well catered for. Staff identify where some children may need additional support and utilise a wide variety of techniques and strategies to help them make good progress. For example, visual pictures are used to help children express their needs and wants. All children, regardless of their starting points make good progress in their learning and development.

The curriculum focuses on teaching children to be independent and developing an awe and wonder of the world around them. For example, children learn about the life cycle of insects, and use the local area to learn about animals. Children show high levels of engagement and enjoyment in their learning and they are very well behaved. Children are well prepared for their next stage in learning. They have weekly visits to the local school to share the use of the facilities and to become familiar with the setting and the staff.

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

• Children have plentiful opportunities to be physically active and to learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. For example, children take it in turns to carefully prepare a healthy snack for everyone. Children learn to develop their balance, coordination and control through whole-class exercise sessions and learning to ride a scooter for example. Children access activities to refine their smaller motor skills, for instance, while learning to use a nail and hammer.
• Staff are excellent at teaching children how to count and learn mathematical concepts. Every opportunity to teach children mathematical vocabulary is utilised and children are motivated and enjoy learning alongside the attentive adults. Staff engage in fun and practical activities with the children. For example, staff lie down while children measure them and then discuss the length of different objects.
• All staff engage wonderfully with all children. Children remain engrossed in their learning for extended periods of time. Staff are brilliant conversationalists and they know the children very well. They enable children to join in conversations making these personal and individual to the children. However, at times, staff incorrectly refer to themselves and others in the third person and this could confuse younger children, and those that are learning English as an additional language. This does not enable children to hear and develop their own language skills as well as possible.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their early writing skills and they enjoy experimenting with a variety of media. Staff support children and facilitate their spelling. However, some staff do not pronounce the sounds correctly, and do not challenge older and more able children to develop their early writing skills as well as they could.
• Parents speak very positively about the partnerships the setting established with them. They comment that they are kept well informed about their child's learning and development, and how they can support learning at home. Parents say that the pre-school is an 'extension of their family', and they would recommend the setting.
• The manager has a strong vision for high quality and inclusive care. She is passionate about improving the setting and supporting staff to develop their skills and knowledge. Staff report high levels of well-being and enjoyment in their role.
• The setting has a very positive and caring atmosphere amongst staff and children. Children are patient and carefully use a timer when needing to wait their turn. When children hurt themselves, other children offer cuddles to comfort them. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that modelling of language helps children to develop their speaking skills even further
• to support older children when they are learning to practise their early writing.