Back To The Garden Childcare Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children play and learn in an inviting and well-designed space.

They spread out across the outdoor area and find interesting things to see and do. Children work together to plant wildflower seeds. They use their fingers and thumbs to pick up the tiny seeds and sprinkle them onto the seed trays.

They gently push the little seed balls down and under the soil. This promotes children's physical development well. Children learn that the seeds will grow into flowers next spring.

They begin to understand about growth and the seasons. Staff skilfully incorporate non-fiction books into children's outdoor learning. Chil...dren study pictures of autumnal trees.

They see that the trees around them are beginning to change colour and watch the autumn leaves falling to the ground. Parents and carers are pleased with how managers and staff at the centre responded to COVID-19 (coronavirus) guidance. Staff collect children from parents at the main door and this helps to reduce the risk of infection.

They read stories and led group times online for children who did not attend due to COVID-19 restrictions. Parents feel well informed about children's learning. The attentive staff create a settled and positive atmosphere.

Children feel secure and behave well.

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

Leaders and managers consider the learning opportunities that the toys and resources potentially provide. This helps staff to incorporate the seven areas of learning into their interactions with children.

However, leaders and managers do not identify discrepancies between intention and practice meticulously enough. For example, they intend that pre-school children help to lay the table for lunch. In practice this does not happen with consistency.

This means that children do not benefit consistently enough from the ambitious vision and planning that underpins the provision.Pre-school children really enjoy their visits to the tool shed. Staff teach them to use tools, such as hammers, safely.

They encourage children to have their own ideas about what they want to make. The learning is well sequenced. By the time children are ready to start school, they are able to conceive and execute their own construction projects.

Children of all ages sing nursery rhymes. This helps them to develop intonation and rhythm in their speech. Toddlers have fun choosing which rhyme to sing next.

They pick a wooden spoon from the pot and look at the picture on the bowl. The toddlers begin to accurately match the pictures to the rhymes. This helps to promote early reading really effectively.

Staff make good use of the outdoors. They take children on expeditions to nearby woodland. Children learn new words about autumn.

This helps them to talk about what they see in the woods. They know that the seasonal berries could make them poorly but provide important food for the birds. This helps children to understand and value the natural world around them.

Staff find out about children's routines and personalities before children begin to attend the centre. Babies' key persons work in close partnership with parents. For example, they agree how everyone will support children's weaning and self-feeding.

This helps to make children's experiences at home and at the centre consistent. The continuity promotes children's good progress and well-being.Managers work in partnership with other professionals.

They take account of advice from specialist professionals when they set learning goals for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Managers make effective use of additional funding. For example, they purchase new sensory resources for children in receipt of early years pupil premium.

This helps staff to further enhance children's learning.Staff are kind and friendly role models. Children copy them and behave in a caring way towards other people.

They sing hello to each other at group time. This helps children to remember everyone's name.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers train staff to understand and follow the centre's safeguarding policy. Staff know what to do if they think a child may be at risk of harm. They know the centre's whistle-blowing policy and demonstrate a readiness to act decisively to protect children from abuse.

Managers take steps to minimise the impact on staff of the disruption caused by COVID-19. This helps to safeguard staff's mental health and well-being. The catering team manage children's diets well.

They make sure that the menu is well balanced and that children's individual dietary requirements are met. This helps to promote children's health and safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: scrutinise practice more meticulously, in order to support staff to implement the intended curriculum really consistently.

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