Starfish Preschool & Holiday Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly as they arrive, supported by caring and nurturing staff. Staff have good interactions with the children and follow their lead. They support children's interests and allow them to set the pace, while continuing to support their learning. Children benefit from engaging experiences where they can explore. They learn to skilfully navigate the the steps on the slide, realising that they need to take turns. Older children practise their developing physical skills by helping each other to balance and move along the trail. Children enjoy joining in with their favourite songs and rhymes, excitedly showing the actions and joining in the words they know.

Effective boundaries and routines support children in knowing what is expected of them. This helps them to know what is happening and what is coming next. Children are encouraged to help with routines such as wiping the tables, brushing up after snack and hanging up their own coats. This helps to develop children's independence. Behaviour is good and children know and learn the routines very quickly. The use of visual timetables and robust routines helps them to know what is coming next. Staff use positive reinforcement and modelling to encourage positive behaviour, good manners and respect.

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

• Leaders have designed a bespoke curriculum that clearly outlines what they expect from the children at the end of each stage of development. The curriculum is sequenced to build upon children's previous learning. It provides clear guidance on what children are to learn and how it will be delivered so that they make effective progress.
• Staff plan opportunities and experiences that support children's individual needs, interests and next steps. Staff have a good understanding of the curriculum, which allows them to implement it into their planned activities. Children make good progress towards their own targets as a result.
• Staff support learning by following children's interests and asking questions to enhance their learning. However, sometimes, staff do not provide children with the time they need to be able to explore their own ideas and to respond. Children are also sometimes asked closed or leading questions. This prevents children from making the best possible progress.
• Circle-time activities provide children with opportunities to learn about sharing and taking turns and to take part in songs and rhyme sessions. However, for some children, these activities do not reflect their individual age and/or stage of development. This is particularly the case for younger children, who find the activities too challenging and lose interest.
• The key-person system is well embedded. Staff's interactions are strong and support children to settle and develop strong relationships with their key person. Staff know their key children well, offering effective support for their individual needs and abilities. Staff work closely with parents to ensure a coordinated approach to learning.
• Staff have built up good relationships with children and their families. They work well in partnership with parents, ensuring an effective coordinated approach to supporting children's behaviour, care and learning. Staff carefully consider any additional external factors, such as family dynamics and language barriers, and use this to good effect to support individual children.
• Staff receive regular supervisions and appraisals. They engage in training and coaching with leaders, which extends their professional development. Leaders and staff work effectively together to address any training needs to support staff in providing high-quality care and learning for all children.
• Leaders understand the benefits and importance of multi-agency working. They work with other agencies and professionals, such as the local area special educational needs coordinator and speech and language therapists, to provide specialist support to children who need it. They make swift referrals to ensure that children get the help and support they need in a timely manner, so that any gaps in learning are quickly addressed.
• Since the previous inspection, the setting's effectiveness has improved considerably. Leaders have, for example, successfully supported staff in developing their skills to deliver the curriculum effectively. They recognise the setting's strengths but also have a clear vision as to what further improvements are needed to help ensure it continues to improve.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with time to think about and respond to questions and explore their own ideas, avoiding the use of closed or leading questions
• support staff in providing circle-time activities that are appropriate to children's varying ages and stages of development.