Warren Childcare Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time in this welcoming setting. They follow staff's good example and are excited and inquisitive. For instance, they look at the 'Family Book' and eagerly share their family traditions. The photographs inspire them to recreate an activity and they work intently to build towers and patterns with bricks. Children are safe and secure, confidently participating and stating their views. For example, they decide together which resources they would like out. Children play cooperatively. They work together to safely move a large plank of wood, carefully balancing this on bricks to make a slide. Children enjoy setting themselves challenges. For instance, they lay bricks in lines and carefully balance as they take turns to walk along these.

Children are independent and develop practical skills that support them when they start school. For example, they carefully put finished work in their folders to take home. Children show a mature kindness and respect for one another. They learn about people in their community and about differences. For instance, they visit a residential home and understand that some people communicate by using sign language. Staff are sensitive to the potential effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns. They offer additional support to help children develop social skills.

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

• The temporary manager has a good understanding of her role. She works closely with staff, offering daily support and helping them to access training to further develop their practice.
• Staff have a good understanding of what children have been learning and know what they need to learn next. They offer children play opportunities that accurately reflect their interests and help them to take the next step in their learning. Good monitoring procedures ensure staff quickly highlight any weaker areas in children's learning. This helps ensure that all children make good progress.
• Staff know children well. They use this knowledge to support children to participate in activities and to interact with their peers. This sensitive support particularly aids children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Furthermore, this good knowledge of each child enables the manager to use additional funding effectively to support children's learning.
• Staff take great care in setting out the rooms. Children access interesting resources that reflect their interests and help promote their learning. For example, they choose dinosaur masks, eagerly naming the different types of dinosaurs. Staff build on this and children giggle as they answer their names with a roar at registration time.
• Children show an enjoyment of books. They listen intently as staff read, eagerly predicting what is going to happen. They enjoy sitting in the cosy reading area to look at books and share these with friends.
• Children show an interest in numbers and counting, and staff extend this. For example, children count wooden spoons. Staff remove some and children correctly predict the number of spoons left. Children practise this later when they count items in the play kitchen.
• Staff include children in discussions, frequently introducing new vocabulary. They check that children understand any new words and help them use these as they play. Staff help children to use simple sign language to aid early communication.
• Parents praise staff and the setting, stating that the pre-school 'feels like a family'. They report that staff communicate well with them so that they understand what their children have been doing and can build on this.
• Children enjoy playing in the outdoor area. However, staff do not always offer as many outdoor opportunities as possible, to fully build on the development of children who prefer to be outside.
• Children enjoy their interactions with staff, who generally ask open questions and encourage children to think further. However, on occasion, staff do not give children time to think and they answer simple questions for them. This does not fully support children in developing their communication skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the use of outdoor areas to offer further play and learning opportunities for children who prefer to be outside
• support staff further in giving children time to think and answer questions.