Autumn Cottage Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children and babies are extremely happy and safe. The highly qualified and experienced staff are dedicated, and the children benefit from excellent care and consistent routines provided for them.

Children are emotionally secure and show strong attachments to their key workers, who are devoted to caring and planning for the children's individual needs. Staff recognise the needs of children and are quick to respond with support and guidance. They are meticulous in helping children to be resilient and support them to understand and manage different situations as they occur.

Children flourish in their environment, w...hich is arranged to help promote and support their independence. For example, older children enthusiastically set tables and support their friends to serve their own food. Children learn to count, and problem solve exceptionally well.

They have an abundance of opportunities for learning. Younger children have immense fun as they experiment with musical instruments. They giggle as they bang drums and play musical instruments.

They seek staff out to show their accomplishments and use their problem-solving skills to work out which drum is the loudest. Older children become totally absorbed in books and listen intuitively. Staff are wonderfully tuned into children's thinking and weave in new words, such as 'alien' and 'heart rhythm'.

Children have fantastic opportunities to learn outdoors. They become engrossed as they chase aliens. They act out driving a car and riding in an aeroplane.

Staff are extremely skilled in teaching children about diversity, the world around them and the local community in which they live. Managers and staff have an outstanding commitment to inclusion, and work in a commendable manner with a multitude of other agencies. They treat every child as a unique individual and ensure they receive highly impressive, targeted learning.

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

Children choose from an excellent range of pre-planned activities and high-quality resources that enhance their imagination and curiosity. They show high engagement in what they are doing, and this is encouraged by the staff's extremely passionate and positive attitudes and teaching.Managers and staff plan a highly effective educational programme based on the children's interests, what they enjoy and what they need to learn next.

This is shown consistently throughout the setting. For example, children bring in 'This is me' bags, which include their favourite objects from home to share with their friends, this gives children a strong understanding of what makes them unique.Activities are delivered in imaginative ways, which encourage children to be independent thinkers but to also work together in groups.

For example, during the inspection, older children were introduced to the 'word of the day' and the meaning of this word. They were then encouraged to make up a story together, individually giving input and putting all the information together at the end.Children care for each other and are sociable, building strong friendships with their peers.

Children's behaviour is impeccable. They demonstrate tolerance and are very kind, helpful and especially caring towards each other.Partnerships with parents are exemplary.

Managers and staff provide excellent feedback and information to parents, such as ways to support their children's learning and development at home. Parents comment that they feel exceptionally welcome. They are unanimous in their praise for the staff team and the care their children receive.

Managers and staff know all children incredibly well. They demonstrate first-class teaching skills and create a stimulating and exciting environment to capture children's interests. Children make excellent progress from their initial starting points.

Managers have high expectations of their staff team. They provide exceptional support through peer observations, one-to-one supervisions and team meetings, to help maintain their outstanding practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers and staff have an excellent understanding of their roles and responsibilities to protect children from harm. They diligently keep up to date with changes in child protection legislation. They have an exemplary understanding of the procedure to follow should they have a concern about a child's welfare.

Managers implement systematic recruitment, induction and vetting procedures, to help ensure all staff are suitable for their role. Managers and staff teach children how to keep themselves safe. For instance, children have an excellent understanding of why they need to tidy away toys and resources, so they do not trip or fall.

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