Sunflower Children’s Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children benefit from meaningful learning across this setting. Children enjoy learning about topics and themes, such as insects.

They make links between what they have been learning about at nursery and what they do at home. For example, children have been enjoying reading the book 'What the Ladybird Heard'. They have been looking for ladybirds in their gardens and enjoying visits to the theatre.

Children behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They are able to follow instructions from staff, who they have formed close bonds with. Babies, in particular, benefit from sensitive relationships with the ...staff who care for them.

For example, children are spoken to about care routines such as mealtimes and nappy changing. This supports children's personal development and helps them to build secure relationships. Older children develop an interest in reading books.

This means they are able to actively describe the layout of a book. They tell staff about the front cover, back page and spine of the book. Children understand how to read a book and they talk about the beginning, middle and end.

This is supporting children's early reading skills, which is also supporting them to develop their vocabulary.

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

Staff provide teaching and learning opportunities that support what they want children to know and learn next. This is because they know the children well through observations and assessments of what children already know and can do.

As a result, children are learning new skills and knowledge.Partnerships with parents are effective. This helps staff to identify when children may need additional support, so that children make good progress.

Staff have good partnerships with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists. This further supports staff to meet individual children's needs.Learning across the setting is carefully planned for most children.

Staff use what they know about children to plan activities that support children's next steps. However, this is not always consistent across all age ranges. Sometimes, two-year-olds are expected to take part in group activities, which are not always appropriate for their age and stage of development.

This means that, occasionally, a small number of children are not always engaged in learning.Staff have high expectations of all children. Staff praise good behaviour and give simple instructions that children follow with confidence.

Staff promote children's independence across all age ranges. They sensitively support those who are unable to do tasks for themselves while encouraging children to have a go. For example, children as young as two put on their own coats and make choices about what they would like to eat and drink at snack times.

The majority of staff understand what they want children to learn. Most can describe why they are providing activities and opportunities for children. Staff understand how they will teach children and support their next steps in learning.

For example, staff model language by repeating back what children say and commenting on children's play. This is further helping children to increase the number of words they hear and speak.A small number of staff are, sometimes, unable to link what is being provided for children to what they want children to learn next.

However, managers have already identified this and are supporting staff to further develop their knowledge.Leaders and managers ensure that they know children well. They do this by undertaking observations of teaching across the setting.

They give feedback to staff and give them the opportunity to discuss their own ideas and solutions for any areas of weakness. This means that leaders and managers are able to support staff, when they have concerns about individual children's development.Staff support children to develop their physical skills.

They organise large group activities outdoors, where children practise jumping, running and balancing on one leg.The setting provides extra-curricular activities that children benefit from. In particular, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to access activities, such as football and dance classes.

This is further supporting their physical development and confidence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff across the setting understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children.

They are alert to any signs that children may be suffering from harm. Managers understand the importance of keeping staff up to date with safeguarding knowledge and identify new training opportunities. Staff understand the role of the designated officer from the local authority and the action they must take in the event of allegations against staff.

Staff support children to take risks in the outdoor environment while being sensitive to individual needs. They do this by tactfully supporting children while they have a go themselves.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure that young children's learning is appropriate to their needs, in particular when expecting them to take part in group activities develop further the understanding of all staff of the areas of learning they teach and the way young children learn.

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