Short Circuits Care Club Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and families are at the heart of this welcoming and nurturing nursery. Leaders understand the importance of supporting the whole family. They go above and beyond to ensure children and families receive the support they need. Staff know children extremely well. They develop strong bonds with children and their families. Children are comfortable in the company of the adults and form positive relationships. They feel safe and secure.

Children arrive happy and excited to see their friends and key person. Staff plan engaging activities for children. Resources are inviting and children show interest in the activities available. They are set out for children to access independently. Children choose their own learning and move freely around the room. They have a positive attitude to their learning. Children show high levels of concentration as they play a game with their friends and make play dough.

Staff ensure children's communication and language development are at the centre of everything they do. Staff speak clearly and model language with children very well. They introduce new words as they play. Staff ask questions that encourage children to think critically. For example, staff ask, 'What will happen if you do that?' and 'How can you build that?'. They give children time to think and respond. All children make good progress in their language skills.

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

• Leaders have carefully considered the needs of the children and families that attend. They plan an ambitious curriculum that is clearly planned and sequenced. It builds on what children already know and can do. All staff understand the curriculum intent and how they can implement this in practice. Managers strive for improvement and identify areas to develop and while planned improvements to the outdoor area have been established, they are yet to be embedded.
• Children from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported. Leaders ensure all children feel included. They are proactive in seeking help for children with additional needs. Staff work effectively with other agencies to ensure families and children receive the support they need. Leaders effectively use additional funding to offer children new experiences and provide specific resources to support their development. All children make very good progress.
• Staff plan activities to support children's physical development effectively. Children run, jump, and climb outside. Staff talk to children about what muscles they are using as they hang from the climbing frame. They teach younger children how to jump into the hoop. Children use a range of tools that develop their small muscles. For example, children use scoops and spades to collect balls to put in a container. Children are confident movers.
• Children develop their independence skills well. Staff encourage children to put their coats on and hang them up. They learn to pour their own drinks and manage their own lunch boxes. Staff encourage children to wipe their noses and wash their hands after putting their tissue in the bin.
• Staff promote a love of stories, songs and rhymes. Children listen to stories and act out the story of The Enormous Turnip. Staff place appropriate and meaningful books in all areas inside. However, there are less opportunities for children to access books when outside. This limits the opportunity to access books independently, particularly for those children who prefer to play outdoors.
• Staff promote the development of both mathematical and literacy skills well. Staff effectively model counting. They ask children questions such as how many balls they have. Children are keen to count their friends as they line up to go back inside. Staff use the language of 'full' and 'empty' as children fill containers. Children learn to recognise their names. They attempt to write their names on their paper. Children write their shopping lists using clip boards and pencils.
• The breakfast club is a welcoming and calm start to a child's day. Staff sit and talk with children about their school day. They value and respect children's cultures and religions. Staff talk to children about their religious observance of fasting. Children proudly tell staff they have fasted the day before. They go to school ready to start their learning.
• Leaders communicate well with families. Parents feel very well informed. They enjoy attending the parent consultations. Parents of new children appreciate the time staff take to help children settle when they first start. They feel included and part of their child's journey at the nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the planned improvements to the outdoor area, to ensure children have opportunities to develop in all areas of learning.