Children’s Place Halifax

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and enjoy their time at the nursery, where good adult-to-child ratios are maintained.

They have secure attachments with staff and seek them out to share their experiences. For example, younger children enjoy cuddling up to familiar adults to share stories in the cosy reading area. Staff get to know children well.

They take time to help new children settle in and ensure that they feel safe and secure. The newly appointed manager has worked closely with the owner and colleagues to make improvements and raise the quality of the provision. Detailed action plans have been implemented to reflect on current... practice and to drive improvement.

The management team has started to gradually introduce changes and show a commitment to sustaining these improvements. Children show through their behaviour that they feel safe and secure in nursery. They learn the importance of sharing and taking turns with the toys.

Staff are positive role models and help build children's confidence and self-esteem through praise and encouragement.Children of all ages display a positive attitude to learning. Younger children enjoy many sensory experiences.

For instance, they enjoy splashing in puddles and adding soap to make bubbles. Staff sensitively encourage children to explore and play. They develop new skills as they explore and investigate.

For example, they go on bug hunts and use their observation skills to identify different insects. Children become excited as they look under stones to see if they can find any bugs. They are thrilled when they find a big spider in a web and explore its habitat.

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

The managers and staff support children's welfare and personal development well, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children are happy and enjoy exploring the nursery environment.Staff assess and track children's progress accurately.

This helps them to plan for children's individual needs and to narrow any potential gaps in children's learning. Additional funding is used effectively to provide targeted support for the most vulnerable children and support staff training.Staff provide good opportunities for children to develop their physical skills.

For example, children have fun and engage for long periods of time with a parachute game. Staff join in with the games and their interactions are good.On occasions, staff in the toddler room do not consistently support children to manage tasks for themselves, for example when accessing creative activities, to develop their independence and self-help skills further.

Children are confident learners. Staff play alongside them and promote their mathematical development. For instance, they encourage children to count and begin to recognise differences between volumes.

Children spend time filling and emptying different-sized containers and make comparisons between full and empty.The setting employs a cook to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals each day. Children tuck in with delight while learning good table manners.

Staff organise mealtimes effectively to help children learn about portion size and healthy options.Children are curious and inquisitive. They show an interest in solving problems.

For example, when the dough they are making becomes too sticky, children suggest adding more flour.Staff plan successfully to support children's involvement in the preparation and setting up of activities. For example, children mix the paint for the easel and help make the play dough.

Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff keep parents informed of their children's progress through daily conversations and regular meetings. They provide them with support and guidance to continue to support children's learning at home.

Self-evaluation is used well to identify areas for change. Parents, staff and children contribute with their views. The management team aspires to make further improvements to the outdoor environment.

However, plans to develop the outside learning space even more have not yet been implemented.Although the management team has made successful changes to improve practice and teaching, there are changes to staffing yet to take place. The system and process for embedding and consolidating these changes, combined with maintaining the good-quality teaching, are yet to be monitored to ensure standards are kept at this higher level.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good understanding of what constitutes a safeguarding concern. They understand the procedures to follow to protect children from harm.

They also carry out regular risk assessments and respond promptly. When appointing new staff, the management team follow thorough safe recruitment processes. This ensures staff are suitable and have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles in the setting.

Staff are deployed well and ensure that the premises are kept safe and secure. For example, procedures are in place to prevent unauthorised entry to the setting and visitors' identity is checked if someone arrives unannounced.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nencourage children's independence in the toddler room further by providing them with more opportunities to take care of themselves nimplement plans to improve the already good outdoor environment and help to extend learning opportunities for those children who prefer to learn outside monitor the practice and the impact of staff changes within the rooms to help keep practice and teaching at a good level.