Willow Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children gladly enter the nursery.

Staff greet them warmly, offering hugs. Children are extremely happy and engage quickly in play. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make rapid and exceptional progress.

This is because the head of centre and staff are very ambitious for them. Staff design and implement a well-sequenced curriculum that centres around each individual child. Babies learn to take turns as a member of staff rolls a cylinder towards them.

The babies take turns to roll it back and forth. Toddlers learn to count the number of sandcastles the...y have made. Staff expertly support them to count.

Pre-school children learn to write new words as they label portraits they have created. Children behave extremely well. Staff support pre-school children to resolve conflict between themselves and other children.

This helps children to begin to recognise the needs of others. Children are very respectful towards staff and each other. They care for and look after their environment.

For example, toddlers gently explore leaves in the garden. They remind their friends to be kind to the leaves. Children are very calm and confident.

Staff support and encourage them to keep trying when activities are challenging.

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

The leadership team is incredibly thoughtful and reflective. They constantly review practice to ensure they give children rich experiences and that they are ready for the next stage in their learning.

Leaders find innovative ways to improve all areas of the provision. They strive for the best outcomes for children. The head of centre inspires staff and motivates them to train and develop their already incredible practice.

She is very supportive and nurturing and ensures that staff's well-being is positive.Children make excellent progress with their communication skills. Babies rapidly learn new words.

Staff skilfully model and repeat everyday words as they play. For example, during snack time, babies have a go at repeating words like 'melon' and 'orange'. Toddlers learn rhymes and patterns in speech as they gleefully join in with a group song time.

Pre-school children recall what they know and think of new ideas as staff use open-ended questions.The head of centre has implemented an extremely effective key-person approach to ensure children have a special adult to look after them. Children develop excellent, close relationships with them.

This helps all children to feel safe and secure as they know they will have their needs and interests met. Staff plan activities and effective support to help children achieve their next steps. They use the detailed knowledge they gather from their key children to do this.

Children with SEND have their needs met extremely well. The staff are incredibly supportive and inclusive. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures all staff know the strategies needed to support each child.

This means children with SEND can access all areas of learning at their pace. The SENCo works incredibly well with outside agencies. This ensures families and children have all the right support they need to succeed.

Children become highly independent and develop excellent self-help skills. Babies have lots of 'tummy time' to develop their core muscles so they can move about freely. Toddlers learn to express their needs verbally and to feed themselves with a knife and fork.

Pre-school children choose where to play and to be independent with their care needs.Children develop an excellent awareness of a healthy lifestyle. They skilfully develop their physical skills as they balance, climb, run, build and pedal about in the garden.

They eat extremely healthy home-cooked meals and enjoy sitting at tables with their friends. Children become aware of their bodies and how they function. They do this through activities and opportunities offered by the expert staff.

For example, pre-school children feel their pulse as they learn about what the heart does in our bodies. They talk about the skeleton and how it protects the heart.Partnerships with parents are extremely effective.

Staff share each child's day and achievements with parents when they collect their child. Parents of pre-school children come into the setting termly to meet their child's key person. They celebrate their children's achievements.

Staff create beautiful and reflective learning journals for each child which show children's progress and next steps. They share these regularly with parents.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have robust knowledge of their duty to keep children safe from harm. They confidently identify signs and symptoms of all categories of abuse including the 'Prevent' duty. They know how to confidentially record and report any concerns and how to take action to ensure the well-being of any children they are concerned about.

Staff carry out regular risk assessments to minimise risk to all children and adults. Leaders ensure all staff receive thorough training for all health and safety policies and procedures. They also have very effective systems in place to recruit and ensure the ongoing suitability of staff to work with children.

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