Willows Educare

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy to see their key person and settle quickly, demonstrating how secure they feel. They have good opportunities to learn where they prefer, with free access to the garden. Staff plan the environment well and with open-ended resources. These enable children to use them in own way. For example, they use tyres as roundabouts or to climb into or balance on. Children develop good skills through staff supporting their independence. For example, toddlers take off their coat and boots, and older children peel fruit, use knives to put spreads on their pancakes and pour their own drinks at snack time.

Children explore the interesting environment and lead their learning. For example, older children spontaneously count up and down a number line and toddlers complete inset jigsaw puzzles. Young children learn from the older ones, for example by copying their emergent writing and using magnifying glasses to hunt for tiny bugs. Staff demonstrate to children how to use tools and give them enough time to practise their new skills.

Parents do not enter the premises as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they confirm that staff share good information with them. Parents get to speak to their child's key person and share observations of their child's development through an online system.

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

• All children make good progress from their starting points. Staff work well with outside agencies and parents to support all children and their families, especially those with special educational needs. Each key person knows their children well, even those who are new to the setting. Staff plan effectively for children's next stages of development. Children explore and lead their learning, receiving good adult interaction to move their knowledge and skills on further. However, on occasions, staff are quick to solve problems for children instead of helping them to find ways to manage for themselves.
• Staff know what the children can do and what they need to learn next. They use the children's interests well to motivate their learning. Staff observe how children use the environment and provide additional resources to extend their ideas and knowledge. For example, they provide play money when children engage in pretending to go shopping. Children then start talking about how much items cost and how much change they need.
• Staff provide good support for children's language and communication skills. For example, they respond to babies' babbling and engage older children in discussions. Staff read to the children, pausing for them to remember what comes next and fill the gaps with familiar words. Staff notice what babies and toddlers show an interest in and use it well to engage them in talking. However, they occasionally use words such as 'bobot', so children do not consistently hear the correct use of language. In addition, they do not use all opportunities to ask open-ended questions to help older children become critical thinkers.
• Children have a good understanding of the staff's high expectations. For example, older children immediately line up to wash their hands when it is their turn for snack. Staff provide good support for children to manage their own behaviour and develop strong relationships with each other. For example, they use pictures of emotions to support children in understanding feelings. Staff sensitively help children with developing resilience, reassuring them that it is okay if their sandcastle falls, for example, and helping them to rebuild it.
• Staff meet children's individual needs well and ensure an inclusive environment. They make good use of routines, such as nappy changing and mealtimes, to help children understand about healthy practices. For example, while changing nappies, staff talk to toddlers about looking after their teeth. Older children talk about healthy foods as they have their snack, and suggest that eating their lunch will make them strong.
• The manager works directly with staff and provides a good role model. Members of the new management team have their own roles based on their strengths. The manager is knowledgeable about the children's family backgrounds and provides additional support where needed, which has a positive impact on children. The management team seeks feedback from staff and parents to help evaluate practice. The manager knows where to provide additional support for staff and is beginning to target their professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus staff training on ensuring that they use correct words with babies and toddlers, and build on questioning techniques to enhance older children's thinking skills
• help children to solve problems and find out what works, through trial and error.