Thrive Frodsham Hill

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are polite, respectful, considerate and overwhelmingly kind towards others. To illustrate, children take care of the nursery animals. They feed and look after the rabbits, guinea pigs and tortoise that all live at the nursery. Children show extraordinary empathy and compassion. Staff are exceptional role models. They use simple and effective strategies to help children to know what is expected of them. For example, flash cards provide visual prompts and help children to understand boundaries. Children know right from wrong and behave impeccably. They show impressive levels of independence, self-assurance and self-confidence. For example, they undertake daily 'missions', which are everyday tasks they are responsible for completing. They complete these roles with pride and learn to be responsible, self-assured and helpful in the process. Children develop outstanding attitudes to their learning, supported by a secure foundation of self-belief.

Children of all ages enjoy playing spontaneously and choosing what they want to do. Staff encourage choice and children remain enthused and engaged in their play. For example, children use marbles to vote for which activity they would prefer. This democratic system promotes fairness and helps children to feel valued. The curriculum provides a good mix of child-initiated games coupled with adult-led activities. All children make good progress, supported by a well-planned, broad curriculum. Staff remain vigilant towards the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's development and offer additional support to children, if required.

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

• The management team is aspirational and ambitious. Managers lead with motivation and dedication. Collectively, the entire staff team regularly reflect upon its practice. A detailed action plan is in place to help to support ongoing improvements. Many staff have worked at the setting for several years, promoting a stable and consistent environment for children to flourish.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are regularly invited into the setting to attend sessions delivered by staff or other professionals. This joined-up approach helps to extend children's learning beyond the setting and has an impact on their overall development. Parents are complimentary about the kind and supportive staff who care for their children. Parents refer to the staff as 'kind, nurturing and gentle' and comment that they 'often go the extra mile to help children to settle'.
• Staff plan a variety of interesting activities, centred around a theme or topic. Children help to choose the theme, linked to their interests. This helps to inspire children and ensure that their play remains enjoyable and engaging.
• Staff skilfully support children who speak more than one language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teaching is tailored to each individual child. Careful sequencing ensures that each activity builds on previous learning and provides increasing challenge. All children are well supported in their learning.
• Staff are gentle and nurturing. Babies enjoy cuddles with staff. They gaze at their carers with contentment as they experience warm and genuine affection. Children are relaxed, secure and happy in the friendly and nurturing setting.
• Laughter is frequently heard throughout the nursery. Children giggle with peers when they play hide and seek. Babies laugh when they are tickled. Older children enjoy making faces at each other, chuckling at their reflections. This is a very happy nursery, and confident children benefit from the positive atmosphere they experience.
• Staff closely assess children's progress. Regular observations tell staff what children do well and also where they need more support and help. Staff use this knowledge to target their teaching and help children improve their skills and build on what they already know. However, sometimes children's next steps are not reviewed with sufficient frequency to ensure they remain relevant and accurate.
• Staff are experienced and keen to learn. Training programmes have been interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and available training provision. The management team recognises the benefits of re-establishing a culture of continual training to extend skills further. Plans to re-instate rigorous training programmes are yet to be implemented.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review children's next steps with increased frequency to ensure they are precise and accurate to help children to make rapid progress
• extend opportunities for staff to attend relevant training to strengthen their good skills and knowledge even further.