Bridgewater - Early Years

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have a diverse range of experiences and needs.

Staff develop close relationships with them and provide an exceptional level of care and support to the whole family. This helps to promote children's welfare and emotional well-being extremely well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from teaching that matches their needs and they make the progress they are capable of.

Children who speak English as an additional language develop good communication skills that prepare them for success in later learning.Children eagerly join activities that help them to build on what they know, reme...mber and can do. Staff assess their learning and leaders monitor their progress.

They report that the number of children who reach typical levels of development before they start school is increasing. Staff are using new ways to help children to manage their emotions. Children discuss their feelings.

For example, they say they are 'green' when they feel happy and safe. This helps staff to understand the reasons for children's behaviour and manage it appropriately. Children benefit from plenty of praise that helps to raise their self-esteem.

They glow with pride when they regularly receive a 'high five' from staff to celebrate their achievements.

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

Staff's good teaching is rooted in a secure understanding of how children learn. They have good opportunities for professional development, which helps to ensure that teaching continues to improve.

Staff are keen to build on and implement ideas from training. For example, those who work with babies describe how recent training has helped them to promote babies' communication skills more effectively.Parents speak very positively about the support they get.

They commend staff for being friendly and approachable and say communication with them is good. However, not all parents know enough about what children learn in nursery to help them to extend this at home.Staff plan activities to allow children to revisit and reinforce their learning.

For example, the themes of a book are woven into a range of activities. Children enjoy acting out familiar parts of a story when they go on an outdoor 'bear hunt'. They extend this further when they act out the story again indoors with small play figures.

Babies and younger children develop confidence in their learning. They begin to use their imaginations and initiate their own play. For example, they climb into a doll's bed and pretend it is a boat.

Staff extend this well by encouraging other children to join in and singing familiar songs.Older children enjoy plenty of creative opportunities. They explore a wide range of sensory resources with enthusiasm.

For example, they mix water and foam and try to work out ways to melt ice.Staff promote children's good physical and mental health effectively. Children get plenty of fresh air and take part in exercise indoors and outdoors.

For example, they join regular yoga sessions. This helps to support children's physical development. They develop very good balance and coordination skills.

Children behave well and are eager to please staff. They listen carefully, follow instructions and try hard during activities. However, occasionally, staff are too quick to help children, or do not fully consider ways to challenge them to be even more independent.

Leaders review their practice and have a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for development. They have reorganised the staff team to provide more opportunities for newer staff to learn from those with more experience. Staff are well supported and morale is high.

Staff's warm and supportive relationships with children are a distinct strength. Children bound through the door each morning, happy to see familiar staff and ready to learn. They show a strong sense of belonging and high levels of self-esteem.

Staff model good manners and respect. They encourage children to help and understand one another. Children learn about the needs and values of others in their local community and the wider world.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Children play happily in a secure environment. Staff are vigilant and managers regularly check and review risk assessment procedures to help to ensure children's safety.

Managers provide staff with information and professional development opportunities that help them to keep their knowledge about child protection up to date. They have good knowledge of the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. They know what to do if they are worried about a child's welfare.

Recruitment procedures are robust. Managers have developed clear procedures to monitor staff's ongoing suitability and to deal with any concerns.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: give parents more detailed information about their children's learning and about how they can extend this at home nextend the opportunities children have to develop their already good independence skills to even higher levels.

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