Torkington Childcare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a vibrant environment that encourages children to be curious. Children enter the setting with big smiles and settle quickly. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Staff are highly attuned to children's interests. They provide a curriculum that nurtures children's imagination and creativity. Children show positive attitudes towards their learning. For example, children independently explore a range of materials to create their own artwork and use crates outdoors to become stepping stones and towers. Children work collaboratively and share ideas. Staff build on children's play by enhancing their problem-solving skills. For example, children predict how to stick creative resources onto the paper. Children develop good thinking skills.

Staff support children's physical development well. Children practise rolling and kicking the ball to each other. They show controlled hand-eye coordination as they pour water into their containers. Children demonstrate good coordination skills and core strength. They make good progress in their learning.

Staff are positive role models and set high expectations for children. They offer an abundance of praise to celebrate children's efforts and achievements. For example, when children chop fruit independently, staff recognise this and encourage children to keep trying. This helps children to develop confidence and a 'can-do' attitude towards learning. Staff support children to understand the key rules of the setting. For example, when a conflict arises, such as sharing, staff support children effectively to help them to resolve the conflict. Children learn to regulate their emotions and develop positive relationships with others.

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

• The curriculum for mathematics is a real strength in the setting. Staff provide opportunities to help children to develop their counting skills and understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, children practise filling and emptying jugs to learn about 'full' and 'empty'. Staff encourage younger children to count pieces of fruit, while older children explore the concepts of 'tall' and 'small' by measuring themselves. This helps children to develop a positive attitude towards early mathematical learning.
• Staff provide an ambitious curriculum. They identify children's next steps in development and plan these into activities. However, at times, the implementation of the curriculum for younger children does not fully engage them in their learning. This means that staff do not always build on what younger children know and can do. As a result, younger children's individual learning needs are not consistently supported.
• Staff promote a love of books and rhymes to further support children's communication and language skills. Children recall familiar phrases from their core story as they make props with the dough. Staff expand on their language by introducing words such as 'roll' and 'squash'. This supports children's early literacy development and helps to broaden children's ever-growing vocabulary.
• Children learn about recycling and caring for the earth. For example, staff teach children about recycling by looking together at the packaging in their lunch boxes and deciding where it should go. This helps children to develop responsibility and good habits for life.
• Overall, staff support children to do things for themselves to promote their independence. They provide guidance to help children to build confidence in tasks. However, at times, staff step in too quickly and do things for children that they could manage on their own or be encouraged to try. For example, staff are quick to put children's coats and shoes on them before outdoor play. This limits children's continued development of their self-care skills.
• Staff teach children about healthy lifestyles. Before mealtimes, staff encourage children to wash their hands. They sing with children about the importance of washing their hands. In addition, children visit the local dentist and have opportunities to brush their teeth in the setting to develop good oral health. Children develop good healthy habits.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are good. Staff share children's development during daily conversations and parents' evenings. They provide home learning bags to support topics such as bereavement, and they provide books to share at home. These partnerships help to provide a consistent approach for children.
• Leaders have effective procedures to support staff's professional development. Staff have completed mandatory training and recently attended training on nutritional guidance to ensure they consistently promote healthy eating. Leaders provide regular supervision sessions and coaching, which help staff to maintain a good quality of education and care for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the implementation of the curriculum for younger children to consistently build on what they know and can do
• provide children with consistent opportunities to develop their independence and personal skills.