Audley and Queen’s Park Children’s Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

The management and staff team are passionate about providing high-quality, inclusive care and education to all.

They strive to constantly enhance all areas of practice to the highest possible level. Staff successfully provide opportunities to children that they may not experience at home. For example, children relish taking part in yoga sessions and giggle as they roar and pretend to be a fierce tiger.

Children develop strong bonds with the staff and show extremely positive attitudes and a thirst for learning. They settle in very well and thrive in this highly nurturing, caring and welcoming environment.The staf...f are highly skilled in promptly identifying any gaps in children's learning and development and seek early support.

Rigorous systems are in place, including highly focused weekly 'service allocation' meetings with other professionals. These are extremely helpful in reviewing the effectiveness of provision provided to children and families in the local community. Children with low starting points, including many who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from the superb initiatives in place.

For example, staff provide visits to the park and aquarium. These ensure that all children are given the best possible support to prepare them for school.

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

Staff are provided with highly focused monitoring and supervision meetings.

They attend ongoing, targeted training to help them improve their skills and practice. Staff are encouraged to reflect on their own practice and professional development. Following training, staff understand the fundamental role that positive attachments have on children's physical and emotional well-being, and their learning.

The management and staff team have very high expectations for all children. Staff closely monitor children's progress and follow their emerging interests, including what they have been doing at home. Staff use this information to deliver an exceptional curriculum and a learning environment in which children flourish.

They plan for what each individual child needs to learn next and help them to make the best possible progress.Staff place high importance on promoting children's communication skills. They encourage young children to count as they tap the beater to rhythmic patterns.

Older children listen very carefully and concentrate as they match the sounds they hear to the pictures on their card.Many of the staff are multilingual and support children's home language as well as English exceptionally well. Staff skilfully tune into children's communication and repeat both languages to promote their listening and understanding skills.

All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, develop confidence in their language and communication skills.Staff maximise opportunities to develop children's mathematics skills and make learning thoroughly enjoyable. For example, children are thrilled as they match, sequence and sort the different-coloured bottle lids.

They estimate how many more blocks they need to build their tower the same height as the member of staff.Children are highly receptive to take on a challenge. For example, they keep on trying as they peel the oranges and repeatedly try to bounce and catch the ball.

They show joy as they manage to gently transfer the bubbles from the wand to the top of the bottle.Staff help children to develop excellent control and coordination and to gain confidence in their own abilities. They offer thoughtfully planned activities, such as jigsaws, complex threading and malleable resources.

These help children to develop their early writing skills. Children design their own obstacle course with enthusiasm and balance carefully along the different objects.Children make friends easily and demonstrate exemplary behaviour.

They develop an exceptionally strong sense of belonging and thoroughly enjoy choosing what to play with. Children are very independent and learn to put on their own hats and coats. Older children confidently see to their own self-care and toileting needs, ready for school.

Children are highly motivated to take part in activities and develop high levels of resilience and self-esteem. For example, during board games, children celebrate each other's achievements together and begin to understand that they cannot always win.Managers actively seek and embrace the views of parents, staff and children to continually enhance the quality of provision.

Staff provide support and guidance to parents, for example during home visits, stay and play sessions and eating with their children at lunchtime.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children's safety is a priority and deeply embedded into daily practice.

Staff are extremely vigilant and ensure that the environment is safe and secure. They have an extremely secure understanding of their role in safeguarding children. They know what to do should they be worried about the welfare or safety of a child.

The management and staff team respond rapidly to support vulnerable children and those with SEND. They ensure that the needs of all children are met and exceptionally well supported. Parents give high praise for the parenting groups attended, including how they can keep children safe at home.