Newfoundpool Neighbourhood Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this welcoming and inclusive setting. They arrive with confidence, ready to begin their day, showing that they feel safe and secure in the company of staff. Enthusiastic staff encourage children to take part in the morning movement sessions to 'wake up their bodies and minds'. Children enjoy moving in a range of ways, such as stretching, jumping and balancing, before engaging in circle time. This helps children to release their energy and be ready to learn.

Staff provide a balanced curriculum, which has a strong emphasis on developing communication. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported to communicate in various ways, such as using sign language and visual aids alongside speech. For example, babies are supported to identify animals and mimic their sounds as they play. Staff model and introduce new words into younger children's play, such as 'squeeze' and 'stretch', while they play with dough. Pre-school children are confident communicators and excitedly discuss their choices with staff and decide where they will play first.

Children demonstrate very good behaviour. Staff use effective strategies to support children to know and understand behaviour expectations. For example, a consistent daily routine ensures children know what is expected of them. This creates a calm environment and children have a positive attitude to learning.

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

• Staff get to know their key children well and successfully use their observations and assessments to identify children's next steps in learning. However, some staff do not always consider children's next steps when planning activities. For example, activities that encourage children to explore a range of textures, to promote their sensory awareness, are not consistently available. This means very young children do not have regular opportunities to practise new skills that can help them to build on what they know and can do.
• The support for children with SEND is very strong. Leaders and staff have developed a specialist SEND provision that specifically meets their individual care and educational needs. Staff work closely with parents and a wide range of other professionals to put targeted support in place at the earliest opportunity. Staff are consistent in ensuring that each child's individual needs are considered in the organisation of routines and experiences on offer. For example, staff help children complete exercises that build on their core muscles as advised by healthcare professionals. Children make good progress, achieving their targets and personal goals.
• Staff embed a culture of diversity and inclusion in the setting. Staff raise children's awareness of the wider world and of the similarities and differences between each other. Together they make creative displays, including children's families using a world map. Staff invite parents in to help share their own cultures. For example, children learn Bhangra dances and dress in traditional clothing.
• Children's physical development is well supported. Children have access to indoor climbing equipment and balance beams that suit the various ages and stages of development. This means children learn to balance and climb daily regardless of the weather. Children develop their hand muscles, as they scoop mud, thread straws and dress dolls. These activities support hand-eye coordination and small-muscle strength in readiness for early writing.
• Staff support children to develop their independence through daily routines, such as tidying away their toys, washing their hands before mealtimes and pouring their own drinks. Children gain an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. During play, staff talk about oral health as children discuss visits to the dentist. Staff read stories on healthy eating and implement a healthy lunch policy to ensure children are provided with a balanced diet.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents appreciate the consistent communication with staff about their children's progress and next steps, so they can share ideas and continue their learning at home. They feel their children's individual needs are met and any additional support is readily given.
• The managers are passionate about providing children and families with high-quality care and education. They frequently reflect on practice to specifically identify areas for improvement. However, although systems are in place to support new and less-experienced staff, the impact is yet to be seen. As a result, some children do not consistently experience the same high-quality interactions across all areas of the provision. That said, leaders are taking action and have plans in place to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to effectively plan activities that promote children's next steps in learning, particularly for the youngest children
• provide more support for new or less-experienced staff to raise the quality of teaching and learning to a higher level.