Blackbirds Fun for Kids

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children very clearly demonstrate that they feel safe and secure with staff.

Children benefit from the opportunity to develop strong bonds with familiar staff. They are highly motivated and engaged in their play. For example, children delight in posting cars down ramps, investigating speed and predicting where cars will travel to.

Laughter rings out as they play and learn together. Children show positive attitudes to their play and the staff, and their emotional well-being is supported securely. Children show they are kind and caring to each other.

For instance, older children demonstrate and play alongside yo...unger children as they explore a fishing game. Children develop strong friendships and play cooperatively. Children know the expectations staff have for them.

They understand the boundaries in the preschool, and behave well. Staff are positive role models for children, teaching them to share and take turns. Children learn to use good manners and to listen to what is said to them.

They respond swiftly to instructions and requests. Children are learning a range of skills to support them to move on to the next stage in their education.

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

Staff place a strong focus on supporting children to be effective communicators.

They teach children new words as they play, share stories and sing songs. For instance, when making dough with children, staff introduce words such as 'gooey,' 'drippy' and 'slurpy.' Staff carefully explain to children what the new words mean.

This helps children to hear and learn a good range of words in a meaningful way.Staff know the children they care for well. They plan activities that support and build on what children already know and can do.

For example, staff help children learn to balance, climb and scramble around an obstacle course. Children learn to sequence activities they complete, building on their physical and mathematical skills.Children have the opportunity to take part in outings to support their knowledge of the world.

They visit local parks and the community. Children learn about different places and different people. This helps them to develop an understanding of diversity in the wider world in which they are growing up.

Staff build positive partnerships with parents and carers. For instance, they have regular meetings to share information about children's learning and development. Staff provide parents and carers with support and advice.

This helps ensure to high level of consistency for children's care and learning.Staff encourage children to be independent. Children know where to find tissues, for example, and where to store their belongings.

Staff promote children's good health, such as by teaching them about hand washing before they eat. Staff work closely with parents to help them provide nutritious meals for their children. This supports children's good physical health.

The preschool curriculum is planned to support children's learning in all areas. However, younger children, at times, struggle to maintain focus and attention. For example, they do not benefit from story times that are finely tuned to their levels of understanding.

Younger children's needs are occasionally missed in the large group time activities.At times, staff step in to suggest solutions to children's problems. For instance, when children want a turn with the fishing game and when dough is too wet.

This limits the opportunities children have to problem solve and think of their own ideas.Staff report high levels of well-being and support from the provider. They are reflective and work well as a team to identify where they could improve children's experiences in the preschool.

Staff are positive about the opportunities they have for ongoing professional development.Parents and carers report their children are 'thriving' at the preschool. Parents say how much their children's confidence has grown since they started at the setting.

They comment on the effective communication from staff about their children's time in the preschool.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider follows a robust staff recruitment process to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

Regular safeguarding training and ongoing discussions keeps safeguarding as a high focus for all staff. They understand their role to keep children safe at all times. Staff know about the indicators of possible abuse.

They are clear about what procedures to follow if they have any concerns about children's welfare. Staff know the actions to take if they have concerns about a colleague.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: plan and differentiate the curriculum more sharply so that the environment and activities take greater account of, and provide support for, the individual learning needs and interests of the younger children nallow children to have sufficient time to think and explore problems before offering solutions.