Shadwell Childcare Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this welcoming and nurturing setting. They are extremely happy and feel comfortable with caring and highly professional staff. There is a well-established key-person system in place. This ensures that staff know children exceptionally well and meet their individual needs. Staff send home a 'key person bag', which has information about them, such as their favourite story and what they like to do. This supports effective partnership working with parents and helps children to settle in quickly.

Highly trained staff expertly use a range of fiction and non-fiction books to support the activities they plan. For example, children are introduced to a bird watching activity by reading a story. Staff teach children the breed of birds, such as a 'magpie', skilfully extending children's vocabulary. Children then spend time listening and looking for birds in the garden. Older children use recipe books and look at the ingredients required to make 'soup' in the outdoor mud kitchen. Staff are particularly skilful in supporting children to keep on trying when they encounter difficulties, such as when learning to use single-handed tools like a child-safe knife.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the setting was extremely proactive. For example, home activity packs were provided for those children unable to attend. Due to the success of these packs, the setting has continued to do this when children are absent for long periods of time. This ensures they do not miss out on learning opportunities.

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

• Parents are extremely complimentary about the setting and the relationships staff have made with their children. Staff provide ideas for how parents can support children's learning at home. This is done through regular reports and parent forums, where parents are invited into the setting. Staff share their knowledge and expertise, such as on the importance of play and how to engage children in stories.
• Staff use their wealth of experience and expertise to carefully plan for individual children. They ensure that every child receives one-to-one support throughout the week. Staff put in place more detailed plans for those children who require additional support and for children who speak English as an additional language (EAL). They complete regular assessments and work with outside agencies and professionals to ensure all children achieve their full potential. This ensures that all children make excellent progress.
• Staff are skilful in their interactions with children and always strive to extend their learning. For example, during an activity, children begin to talk about the colour of their eyes. Staff extend this activity further by finding mirrors so that children are able to identify their eye colour. They talk about different parts of their eye, such as the 'iris'.
• Children behave exceptionally well. Through effective collaboration, staff and children have created and agreed very clear rules and boundaries, which set high expectations and are consistently adhered to. These are displayed throughout the setting, so children can refer back to them throughout the day. Children show respect for resources by tidying them away when they have finished. There are spaces for children to regulate their emotions, with the support of an adult, if needed.
• Staff are passionate about ensuring that children learn about a variety of cultures and countries. They invite families to share their experiences or photos of how they celebrate a variety of celebrations at home, such as Chinese New Year and Eid. As a result, all families feel welcome in the setting.
• Children have ample opportunity to develop their independence skills. At meal and snack times, children are supported to pour their own water and put on their aprons. Lunch is served from a trolley, and children confidently take their plates to get their lunch. This mirrors how they serve lunch in school, which in turn prepares them well for the next stage of their education.
• The manager is extremely well supported by a board of trustees. The manager and trustees are mindful of the pressures of the practitioner's role and have reduced the burden of paperwork by introducing an online app. Staff and leaders are continuously self-reflective of their practice and look at ways in which they can enhance the provision and their teaching even further. Staff report high levels of well-being and feel well supported.
• Staff benefit from highly focused professional development opportunities. For example, staff have received training on how they are able to best support children who speak EAL. This ensures they make excellent progress. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has attended training to ensure she remains highly effective in her role and can support others. Staff regularly observe one another's practice and provide feedback on their strengths and areas for development.