Shadsworth Childrens Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy an interesting and nurturing learning environment where they are kept safe by experienced staff. They have access to a wide variety of resources, both indoors and outdoors. Children test out new ideas and develop their thinking through the learning experiences offered to them. Children are encouraged to take care of resources and care for their friends. Staff use gentle reminders to help them to understand what is expected of them. Children have good manners and are learning to share and take turns. For example, at snack time they wait patiently for their turn to pour their own drink and cut their fruit up. Experiences like this are also helping children to become independent.

Children are encouraged to express their ideas and feelings. Staff listen to children's questions and follow their interests. For example, children's interest in birds in the garden led to a range of learning experiences. These included making bird feeders and using binoculars to look closely at birds. These activities help children to learn about the natural world. Children who had little opportunity to play with other children during the COVID-19 pandemic are well supported to develop their social skills. Parents now bring their children into the setting and are welcome to stay if children need support to settle. Children now enjoy the times when their parents come in to learn alongside them at special stay-and-play sessions. Children are confident and have positive attitudes to learning.

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

• Children have strong bonds with the staff who care for them so well. New children are well supported to settle into nursery. They visit for short periods before starting and parents are welcome to stay with them. This means that children feel emotionally secure and happily engage with the learning experiences offered to them.
• Children enjoy sharing books with adults in the cosy and beautifully resourced book areas. They become enthralled as staff tell stories with expression and humour. Children love to hunt for zoo animals in a feely bag to help tell the story. This supports them to learn new vocabulary. Staff also plan to introduce new vocabulary as children play. This systematic approach means that children are always learning new words.
• Staff communicate with children in a range of ways to support all children to become confident communicators. For example, they use signing and pictures as well as spoken language to make meaning clear. These strategies also support those children who have few words in English in which to express their ideas.
• Staff play alongside children and support their play ideas. They follow children's interests and use these to teach key skills. For example, children's interest in plants and seeds resulted in a large digging and gardening area being created outdoors. This helps children develop their coordination and strength when digging in the soil. It also helps them to learn to care for living things as they water and tend to the plants.
• Parents value the love and care shown to their children at nursery. They describe the way that individual needs of children are supported. Parents talk about the way in which the staff help them too. They are given ideas to support their child's learning and development at home. This strong partnership leads to a consistent approach which helps children to manage their feelings and behaviour.
• Staff know children well and effectively assess their learning and development. They plan activities and experiences to build on what children know and can do. However, there are occasions when staff do not use effective strategies to keep all children engaged in group activities. Children then become distracted and lose interest in the activity. This interrupts their learning.
• Those children who receive additional funding, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Leaders use funding creatively to meet individual needs. Staff are skilled in identifying additional needs early. They then work effectively with a range of professionals to ensure that children make the best possible progress.
• Leaders use a range of methods to monitor and evaluate the quality of provision. They have a clear vision for improvement. Staff are supported to further develop their knowledge through training opportunities and by sharing their skills. Leaders prioritise the well-being of children, staff and families. Parents and staff feel that they are well supported to ensure that children are happy and able to flourish.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• reflect on practice during group activities in order to consistently meet children's individual needs and maximise learning.