S4YC @ Over Childrens Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Happy and enthusiastic staff offer a warm and safe environment in which children can learn and develop. Children are very settled and know who to go to for comfort and reassurance. Relationships and interactions between staff and children are effective and staff are sensitive to children's individual needs. Communication and language development is a strong focus. Staff narrate children's play, asking questions to prompt and promote learning, and to extend their learning further. Staff support children outdoors who are building balancing beams and structures. Children tell each other how to extend the building to make a slide, while considering the safety of the structure.

Children are engaged and curious in their play. Clear boundaries and good routines support children in knowing what is expected of them. Staff further support this by using visual prompts to help children know what is coming next. Respect for others and sharing is seamlessly woven into daily routines and discussions with children. Staff remind children of the 'golden rules' and model polite conversations. Children benefit from social snack and meal times, where staff sit and talk to them about what they have been doing at nursery. Children are given increasing opportunities to be independent, such as pouring their own drinks, serving their own snack and setting the table at lunch time. During circle times, children sing 'hello' to everyone, to help them to learn each other's names. This helps all children to feel included.

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

• The setting has undergone a lot of staff changes in recent weeks, with an interim manager now in post. Leaders have quickly identified issues and concerns and have addressed these with urgency. In consultation with parents and staff, leaders have made considerable improvements to the learning environment and the learning offer in a short space of time. This shows a clear vision for improvement moving forwards.
• The curriculum is well-sequenced to build on what children know and can do. Staff plan in the moment and build on children's interests to extend and further develop their learning. This helps to prepare them for the next stage in their learning.
• Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is well managed to ensure their individual needs are met. Staff work in partnership with other agencies who are involved with the family to ensure a coordinated approach to children's learning and development.
• Children recall what they have learned at nursery and talk about their favourite stories and songs. Staff use every opportunity to introduce songs and stories into the daily routine, to ensure all children have access to books and have opportunities to share stories with adults.
• Hygiene practices are well embedded and consistently implemented. Staff model correct procedures for hand-washing and older children talk about why they need to wash their hands with increasing independence. This helps children to understand and develop effective hygiene practices.
• Staff support children's behaviour by referring their golden rules through play. They gently remind children that they need to do things together and to share their toys through play. Staff use words like 'kind hands' to remind children to take turns in the toddler room, whereas the older children are encouraged to consider feelings of others, which helps children to learn expected behaviour.
• Leaders and staff are working hard to establish partnerships with parents. They share verbal feedback with parents about their child's daily routines and what they have been doing in nursery. However, at times the delivery of information and messages is not always clear and therefore is sometimes miscommunicated. This occasionally causes confusion and concern.
• Staff well-being is also a priority. Managers balance this effectively with peer observations and supervisions to make sure the right level of support and training is put in place to move things forward. This ensures staff are clear on what is expected of them and promotes a positive culture of support.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve systems for communicating information with parents so that it is clear and delivered in a timely manner.