Manchester Junior Girls Creche

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are safe and happy at the setting. It is based on a school site and provides care for children whose parents work at the school. It forms a key part of the local community. The staff build close relationships with families, which helps them to develop strong bonds with children. Children are comfortable and settled. Staff offer cuddles and soothing words to help children transition into the setting. Older children chat freely with staff and feel confident asking for help when needed.

The long-standing staff team works well together to deliver cohesive care for children. Each staff member knows every child well. Babies and toddlers form secure attachments, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Children generally behave well and respond positively to staff.

Staff regularly take children out of the setting to explore cultural activities and nature. Children develop their skills through creative activities. For example, staff help children to create an obstacle course. Children show camaraderie as they move through it, developing their physical skills.

Staff support children to take managed risks in their play, which helps to develop their confidence and resilience. There is a strong curriculum vision that all staff follow to help children develop their knowledge and skills. Staff have high expectations for children, which helps them to make good progress.

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

• Staff know exactly what children need to learn next, and plan activities around this. They track children's progress, which helps them to make sure children move forward in their development. All children make good progress in their learning and are well prepared for the next step in their learning journey.
• Staff provide good support for children's communication and language development. For example, they narrate daily activities and introduce children to lots of new words. Children readily repeat these. This helps children to become confident and enjoy talking.
• Children are supported to develop their independence skills well. For example, older children have learned how to skilfully wash their own hands without support. This helps children to become confident in managing tasks for themselves.
• Strong daily routines support children's development. For example, toddlers take part in a circle time activity where they are supported to relax. The room is darkened, and children focus on being still and quiet. This supports children's positive mental well-being.
• Staff support children's physical development well. For example, toddlers develop their fine motor skills as they use glue sticks and tear paper to make a tree. This supports their learning about the changing seasons. They use pegs attached to paper birds to pick up pretend twigs. They use these to make a nest, and delight as they place toy eggs into the nest.
• Some strategies are in place and used by staff to support toddlers' behaviour. For example, timers are used to support turn-taking. However, these are not fully embedded. For example, when children struggle to share, staff do not consistently support them to understand their feelings and the feelings of others. This means that children do not always demonstrate the behaviour that is expected of them.
• The setting has built positive relationships with parents. Parents comment on how well children have settled and the positive relationships they have with the staff. Parents receive weekly newsletters with ideas for what they could do with children at home. The setting sends information to parents about healthy eating and safer sleep.
• Staff take part in a variety of training to help them to support children. For example, staff who work with babies take part in speech and language training and have implemented strategies to support babies' language development. This helps staff to meet children's needs.
• Staff are highly reflective and passionate about developing the provision. They take action to address concerns following risk assessments. Staff report excellent support from the manager. They consider how to make the environment accessible to children and how they can enhance children's learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children to understand their emotions and how their actions can affect others.