Woodhouse Park Family Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children into this nurturing and friendly setting. They get to know each child well and forge strong and caring relationships with them. Children arrive happy and eager to begin their day. They greet each other warmly, with smiles and welcoming hugs. Children demonstrate a positive attitude and readiness to join in with activities.

Leaders and staff create an ambitious and well-structured curriculum. All children make good progress from their individual starting points in development. Staff plan activities that take children's interests into consideration. They thoughtfully set up a range of activities, designed to spark children's curiosity and support their next steps in learning. For example, children explore the characteristics of different animals while they read the story of 'Dear Zoo'. Staff support children's communication and language development well. They use thoughtful questioning, storytelling and conversations to enrich children's language experiences. Staff ensure that every child has the opportunity to become a confident communicator.

Staff are positive role models. They have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children learn to share, take turns and respect others. Staff work in partnership with parents and carers well. They share strategies and offer support to children who struggle to regulate their behaviour. This consistent approach enables children to manage their feelings in a safe environment.

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

• Environments are inclusive, and all children are prepared for their next stage in learning. Staff work with external professionals to develop targeted learning plans tailored to each child's individual needs. They plan group activities, such as 'bucket time' and intervention sessions. This ensures that all children receive appropriate support, enabling them to make the best possible progress.
• Staff support children to respect their environment. They encourage and guide children to tidy up toys and materials once they have finished playing. However, at times, the noise levels within the setting become loud, which makes it difficult for children to hear and follow instructions from staff. This limits children's ability to consistently engage in their learning effectively.
• Staff encourage children to develop their independence through everyday routines. For example, they encourage children to pour their own drinks at snack time. These opportunities help to build children's confidence and self-care skills. However, during planned activities, opportunities for children to develop their independence are sometimes limited. For example, staff pour water between different containers during water play activities. As a result, children do not have consistent opportunities to develop their independence skills.
• Children follow meaningful routines that promote their health and hygiene effectively. Staff encourage children to wash and dry their hands before enjoying their snack. They provide children with their own toothbrushes and implement set times during the day for children to brush their teeth. As a result, children develop positive attitudes to healthy lifestyles.
• Staff listen and value children's voices. They encourage children to express their preferences and opinions in meaningful ways. For example, at story time, staff encourage children to vote for their favourite book to listen to. This supports children's understanding of democracy as they vote for their favourite stories.
• Children benefit from regular trips within the local community. This supports their understanding of the world around them. For example, staff take children to visit the local farm and experience travelling on the tram network. They support children to learn about road safety and how to keep themselves safe when out in the community. These experiences help to prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders and staff are dedicated to their roles. They consistently reflect on their practice. Staff feel well supported in their roles and have access to ongoing training and professional development opportunities. For example, recent training focused on language development has enabled staff to implement 'word wheels' in the learning environment. Staff use these resources to help create a setting rich in language. This supports children's vocabulary and communication skills effectively.
• Children develop their physical skills well. They particularly enjoy their time in the garden. Children confidently ride bicycles around the track, navigating obstacles with increasing control and coordination. This allows children to develop their gross motor skills and spatial awareness.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise the impact of noise levels on children's ability to fully engage in their learning
• enhance opportunities for children to develop their independence skills further.