Sharon Kindergarten

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff are warm, friendly and very welcoming.

This helps children to smile as they happily separate from their parents and join in with the activities offered. Staff know children well and build strong relationships with them. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Staff use information gathered through their observations of children to provide meaningful learning experiences to help extend children's development further. For example, staff help children to learn about their facial features and expressions. They extend children's learning by providing them with mirrors and a range of materials so they can create d...ifferent faces.

They help children to recognise and name different feelings and emotions by making happy or sad faces. All children make good progress in their learning.Children are at the heart of everything this kindergarten does.

Leaders design a curriculum that is based on children's interests and what they need to learn next. Staff and leaders want children to achieve all that they can. Staff encourage children to be independent and to learn to do things for themselves, such as independently putting their coats on ready to play outside.

Children behave well. They are kind, respectful and helpful to others. For example, they hold doors for others to safely enter the classroom.

Children speak confidently as the attentive staff listen to them carefully.

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

Staff ensure that they support children to be skilful and confident communicators. For example, children have various opportunities to share their experiences.

Staff provide a running commentary as children play. Children listen to stories and staff read books to them. Staff introduce songs to support daily routines.

For example, they sing a song about going up and down the stairs safely. This helps to ensure that children hear a rich variety of vocabulary to strengthen their communication and language skills.Children have a variety of opportunities to develop their physical skills.

They practise using their large-muscle skills as they balance, jump and use hoops. Children enjoy throwing and aiming activities, as well as vigorous outdoor games. Staff plan outdoor activities well to extend children's learning.

For example, as children learn about Chinese New Year, staff help them to build a representation of the Great Wall of China with blocks.Staff teach children skills which help them to develop their small-muscle control. Children refine these as they use pencils or chalks to draw and scissors to snip paper.

Children enjoy kneading and rolling play dough. This helps to develop their precision, control and hand-to-eye coordination needed for early writing.Children's health and well-being are given high priority.

Staff ensure that hygiene procedures are adhered to and children gain an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. Leaders ensure that children eat nutritious and balanced meals. Children bring fruits and vegetables to share with their peers and they discuss healthy eating habits as they prepare their snack.

Leaders and staff are clear about what they want children to learn. They plan opportunities to give children a breadth of enriching experiences and the knowledge and skills that they need for life. They provide extra-curricular activities, such as dance and song sessions, during which children hear and sing songs in Hebrew.

However, whole-group activities are not always well planned to sustain children's attention. On occasion, some children are not fully engaged and do not benefit from the planned learning.Staff support children's mathematical knowledge well.

They encourage them to recognise numerals and count. Children are keen and enthusiastic learners. They match colours and shapes confidently.

They use their mathematical skills as they measure ingredients to make play dough.Staff set clear expectations and boundaries for children. They model using good manners and consistently praise children's positive behaviour.

Staff treat children with respect. This helps children to learn right from wrong.Parents speak highly of the staff and leaders.

They appreciate the care and quality of education that staff provide. Parents say that staff are good at communicating information regarding their child's progress and development. They comment that it is a 'home-from-home experience', where children are happy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: further support all children's individual learning needs, especially during group activities, so they remain immersed in their learning.