Claire Bears

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children have fun and enjoy their time at the setting. Staff are warm and build caring relationships with children. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

The manager has addressed some of the weaknesses from the last inspection. For instance, the toddler room and adjoining area is now well organised and secure. The managers have high expectations for what they want children to learn.

However, the learning programme is not yet effective enough and does not match the manager's expectations. It does not support all children to make rapid progress in all areas, particularly communication and language. Children have exp...eriences in the local area.

Staff organise visits to interesting places, such as nearby farm, library, and places of worship, on a regular basis. This helps children to develop a meaningful understanding of their local community and their world. Overall, children behave well.

For instance, during a trip to the park, the youngest use the slide. Staff encourage their friends to clap and praise them. Children also patiently wait their turn to have a go on the swings.

This shows that children are learning how to treat each other respectfully.

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

Staff at the setting prepare nutritious meals for the children. However, the systems in place to fully understand and support all children's dietary needs are not robust.

For instance, the communication between staff means that staff who prepare children's food and drink do not always have accurate information about children's dietary needs.Staff teach children how to carry out some manageable tasks themselves. At snack time, the older children choose and cut their own fruit.

Staff supervise children to cut their fruit into small pieces. When they finish, they put the chopping boards and knives away safely. At other times, staff do not encourage children to manage tasks they are capable of.

For instance, staff cut children's food at lunchtimes. This does not further extend children's independence and school readiness skills.Staff promote children's physical skills well.

Babies and young children have a calm environment for daytime sleeping. The children develop their small- and large-muscle skills well as they splash and play in a cornflour mixture. Older children manipulate play dough as they prod and shape it.

They enjoy self-selecting colouring pens and making marks alongside their friends.Children learn songs and rhymes, and there is lots of dancing and laughter. However, in some areas of the setting, the organisation of some activities means that children are not always able to concentrate without distractions.

For instance, particularly in the baby room, staff sing loudly and play loud music.This impedes children's communication and language development.Staff provide opportunities for children to develop early literacy skills.

The children have access to a lending library set up at the setting. Children borrow books and take them home to share them with their families.Staff help children to learn about healthy lifestyles.

The setting does not have an outside area, and each day children visit parks with staff. This promotes their physical skills, and it enables them to spend time in fresh air.The manager carries out supervision meetings with staff but has not yet put in place an effective system for evaluating staff's skills and knowledge.

As a result, the teaching of some staff is not consistently good. For instance, during a music and movement session, staff are not skilful at engaging and helping children to focus. The children quickly lose interest and wander off.

This does not build on children's listening and attention skills to support their next stage of learning.Staff receive training to improve their understanding of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to a higher level.Parents comment that their children happily attend the setting.

Parents feel that the manager and other staff are approachable and welcoming. They regularly meet their children's key person to discuss their learning. These regular communications between staff and families support children's well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a range of knowledge relating to safeguarding issues that may affect the children and families attending the setting. They receive training to understand the provider's safeguarding policies and procedures.

Staff know how to report any concerns, including allegations against those working with children. The recruitment and induction of staff is thorough, and the provider completes individual suitability assessments. Staff plan effective risk assessments for trips outdoors.

For instance, when they arrive at the park, a member of staff completes a risk assessment of the immediate area to ensure it is safe before children enter the area.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure there are robust practices in place so that staff who prepare children's food and drinks have accurate information about children's dietary needs 31/07/2023 improve the supervision of staff to provide guidance and training that develops their knowledge and understanding of how children learn so that all children benefit from consistently good-quality learning experiences.31/07/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nuse all opportunities to help older children gain independence in readiness for school help children to focus on developing their communication and language skills, such as by giving more consideration to the learning environment and reducing distractions.