Pre-School Learning Alliance New Woods Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show very positive relationships with staff. New children who attend settling-in sessions receive comfort from staff when they become upset. Staff distract children by showing them items of interest, such as toy cars, to help them settle. Staff show kindness towards children. Children observe this, and in turn, show kindness to their friends. For instance, when younger children see their peers upset, they give them their comforters as they want to help them feel settled. Children are supported to understand when the daily routine changes to help promote their emotional well-being. For example, when staff ring a bell, children copy staff and put their hands on their heads and listen in anticipation to the next instruction from staff. Staff ask children to tidy away toys. Children listen and follow their instructions and are keen to help. Additional funding that some children receive is used effectively to help children manage their emotions and regulate their behaviour.

Children are supported to develop their imagination, such as exploring how to use toys and equipment in their play. This includes staff showing younger children how to use mirrored pebbles to roll and spin. Children copy staff and roll the pebbles across the floor, showing good hand-eye coordination. Older children are supported by staff to replicate images they see at home in their role-play experiences. For instance, staff ask older children to pretend to heat peas on a toy cooker. When children do this, they understand that the peas will be hot and blow on them. This shows children's understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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

• Staff share information with parents about activities children enjoy, their care routines and how staff support their child's learning. This helps to keep parents informed about their child's day and development. Parents report that since their children have started, they are saying more words and learning to be sociable with others.
• Staff work with other professionals to set targets to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They share information with teachers at schools that children will move to, helping them to understand children's abilities and individual needs from the start.
• Staff discuss rules and boundaries with children to help them understand what is expected of them. Older children understand these and say that they need to use their kind hands and share with their friends.
• Children are encouraged to be independent. For example, with gentle reminders from staff, children wash their hands before eating and after painting activities. At lunchtime, staff ask children to open their own lunch boxes and to put their empty food packaging into bowls. Older children complete these tasks by themselves.
• Children are keen for staff to engage in their self-chosen play. For example, outdoors, staff sit in a pretend fire engine with children. Staff talk about the vehicle going 'fast' and 'slow', helping children to understand about speed. However, during some planned activities, staff do not implement the intent of activities to fully help children to build on their learning. For example, when staff want children to learn about their feelings and emotions, the experience provided does not support them to do this.
• Staff have sensitive relationships with children. For instance, they ask younger children if they can change their nappies before doing this, helping children learn about respect from a very young age. When staff change children's nappies, they talk to them about what they are doing. This contributes to supporting children's communication skills and developing close bonds with staff.
• Overall, the curriculum to develop children's communication and language skills supports children well. For example, when staff and children paint a snowman picture, staff spontaneously sing a song about a snowman, helping to develop children's speaking skills. However, children who speak English as an additional language are not supported as well. For instance, staff do not adapt their interactions with children to help them understand what is being asked of them and to support their language development.
• Staff say that they feel very supported by the management team. They have opportunities to build on their professional development. For instance, staff attend training courses to help them reflect on any unconscious bias they may have through their interactions with children. This helps staff to model to children inclusive practice for everyone.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the intent of planned activities to help build on children's learning
• strengthen staff's interactions with children who speak English as an additional language to support their understanding and language development.