READY STEADY GO St John's Wood

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a safe and welcoming space where children thrive. Their attentive and nurturing support helps children to settle and develop strong bonds, so that they feel happy, secure and ready to learn. This, coupled with the exceptionally broad and ambitious curriculum, ensures that all children make excellent progress. Staff skilfully support children in what they want to do. They help them to develop their personalities, confidence and skills in readiness for later life. Older children are highly independent and competent learners. For example, children are keen for visitors to see their meadow. They consider that they might not know the way, so thoughtfully draw a map outlining the route.

The learning environment and daily routines include a wealth of meaningful and inspiring activities, such as baking bread for snack or caring for their pet guinea pig. Children consistently demonstrate an incredible enthusiasm for learning. For instance, younger children are firmly set on their goals as they bandage dolls and treat staff in the pretend doctor's surgery. Staff have high expectations for children. They remind them to look after one another and appreciate their differences, to understand their feelings and regulate their behaviour. Children enjoy being helpful and show real kindness, care and respect for others. They learn how to manage setbacks and disagreements, therefore staff rarely need to intervene.

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

• Leaders have fantastic oversight of the provision. They know the children, families and staff exceptionally well, which enables them to plan further developments extremely effectively. For example, leaders identify that some children joining the provision struggle to coordinate their large muscle movements. Therefore, they have sought advice from occupational therapists, to help staff plan and implement a programme of targeted interventions. This highly proactive approach helps to rapidly close any gaps in children's learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive excellent support. Staff ensure that the environment and activities are inclusive for everyone. They build close and professional relationships with parents and other agencies, so that children receive the right help at the right time. This includes individualised plans and activities, to ensure children make the best progress possible. Leaders use additional funding effectively, to further enhance children's experiences.
• Teaching is inspirational throughout the provision. Staff have a wonderful ability to engage with children, capture their interest and ignite their love of learning. For example, staff introduce a 'magic stick' to inspire children as they hunt for fungi in the meadow. Children are enthralled, they join the hunt with great enthusiasm and are delighted when they discover mushrooms growing in the grass.
• Staff are highly in tune with children's current interests. They skilfully plan activities to build on children's knowledge and skills. For instance, children are keen to explore their ideas about Halloween, therefore staff adapt their planning to incorporate this. Staff encourage children's smaller muscle movements, through cutting fresh herbs to make 'potions'. They introduce stories about witches to support children's language and literacy skills. Children thoroughly enjoy their learning, they giggle as they create a 'potion' to transform staff into giant frogs.
• Parents recognise how staff nurture children's individuality. They comment that children are 'at the centre of everything' and say 'it's not just okay to be different here, it's valued and celebrated'. Children enthusiastically enjoy activities that teach them about diverse cultures and religions, including those which are special to their families and friends. This is further reinforced by regular trips, that enhance children's understanding of their community and the broader world.
• Leaders and staff want all parents to feel welcomed and listened to. This is apparent throughout their practice, from their informal chats at the door each day, to their thriving parent's forum, which invites parents' views and opinions. Leaders seek innovative ways to include parents in their children's learning. This includes using online technology, to share photographs of activities and provide informative parenting workshops.
• The highly experienced and qualified staff are passionate about their roles. Their dedication to children's learning is clear to see throughout the provision. Leaders provide sharply focused training and professional development for staff at all stages in their careers. Staff say that they feel extremely well supported in their personal and professional lives.