South Acton Childrens Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this exceptional nursery. Children and families are at the heart of everything the nursery does. Key persons build up strong bonds with children from the home visits before they start at the setting, so that they feel safe and secure in their care. Staff have a primary focus of supporting children's personal, social and emotional development, which begins in the under two's room. They recognise the positive impact that children's well-being has on all aspects of children's learning and development. Children immerse themselves in learning that captures their interest.

All children make outstanding progress from their starting points. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children with English as an additional language (EAL). The highly ambitious curriculum greatly benefits children with their communication, independence and social interactions. For example, younger children tap their knees in time with nursery rhymes. Children benefit from a highly reflective staff team who follow their interests. For example, older children's interest in colours leads to using tie dye materials and experimenting with mixing colours. Their physical skills develop as younger children balance along the balance beam independently, and older children build and climb soft-play blocks. Furthermore, children demonstrate their impressive turn-taking skills as they wait patiently to have a go.

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

• Highly reflective and thoughtful staff implement an extremely well-thought-out curriculum. They find out children's starting points and rapidly provide high quality support to address any gaps in learning. For instance, staff noticed that children needed further social and emotional support, so they set up emotion stations in each classroom to support children. Additionally, embarking on a music project to enhance children's emotional well-being and confidence.
• Children with SEND and those from disadvantaged backgrounds receive outstanding support and flourish in their development. The manager and special needs coordinator go above and beyond to ensure that children get every possible resource available to them. For instance, staff ensure that specialist teachers and therapists support children on site. This means that all children get the support they need to reach their full potential.
• Children learn stories using props that staff provide to inspire them. They demonstrate impressive levels of concentration while they listen to staff read the 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' story, and loudly join in to finish the familiar phrase. Staff provide skilful support to help children learn about story formats and develop their memory skills. As a result, children remember the story and recall it without the book, using props and sign language.
• Children receive outstanding high-quality interactions from the staff who care for them and are well supported to develop their communication skills. Staff use sign language to aid communication, and they patiently explain what it is that they are asking children to do. Younger children enjoy interactive music and singing times, where they learn new vocabulary. Older children successfully use sign language to support communication. For instance, children with EAL are encouraged to use their home language along with signing to communicate with staff. As a result, children throughout the nursery are very proficient and confident communicators.
• Children's behaviour is consistently impeccable. For example, they show kindness and care to others and involve them in their imaginative play. For instance, children excitedly play peekaboo hiding inside large boxes and wait patiently for their turn. Staff inspire children as they follow instructions on a recipe card in the mud-kitchen area, eagerly gathering the ingredients they need from around the garden. Children's excellent behaviour means that little time is lost, and all children are able to focus on their learning.
• Parents are very happy with their children's progress and the communication at the nursery. They have electronic means of communicating and speak with the staff daily. Parents say that the setting is 'brilliant'. Staff are very happy at the nursery and the low staff turnover delights the parents, as their children keep the same key person. The staff are also highly effective at liaising with other professionals to make certain that children benefit from consistent individual support of the highest quality.