Children 1st @ Sheffield

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and happy in this inclusive setting.

Relationships among children, parents and staff reflect a positive and respectful culture. Staff are positive role models. They gently support and guide children to develop good manners.

Children learn to show respect and kindness towards others. For example, they offer their hand or a hug when another child is upset. This creates a caring and nurturing atmosphere.

Managers and staff have an admirable dedication to ensure that all children can succeed. Their support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is g...ood. Staff quickly create targeted support plans for children and work well with wider professionals.

This ensures that all children make good progress.Staff have animated and expressive interactions with children, which help to promote children's thinking skills. For example, during a science activity, staff encourage older children to think about what they will need to create a reaction.

This helps to promote children's ability to solve problems and think independently. Children learn new words, such as 'prediction', and thoroughly enjoy their time together. Staff provide opportunities for children to be creative.

For example, younger children use natural resources, such as coffee, herbs and sticks, to paint with and make pictures.

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

Staff highly respect and value all children's unique backgrounds and beliefs. This includes celebrating events such as Diwali.

Staff plan a range of activities that children may not have experienced before, for instance children visit local building sites. These opportunities help to give children a breadth of enriching experiences and the knowledge and skills that they need for life.Children develop their language skills.

They listen to stories and enjoy looking at books on their own. Children regularly hear words and repetitive phrases, such as through rhymes and singing songs. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported very well by staff with their language development.

For example, staff use children's home languages to help them to understand the meaning of English words.Staff help children to learn to manage their feelings and behaviour. They adapt their teaching effectively to support children at different stages of their emotional development.

Older children respond well to the responsibilities that staff give them, such as helping to set up for lunchtimes and being a 'fire marshal'.Parents speak positively about the care their children receive. They say their children are happy to attend and are developing well.

Parents report they receive detailed information about their children's care and learning progress. They appreciate the help and support that they receive from staff and say that they go the extra mile for them.Staff's well-being is well promoted.

All staff report that they are happy working in the setting. The managers regularly evaluate and reflect on the standards of the setting. They have clear action plans in place.

For example, staff want to extend the planting area outside to support children's understanding of the natural world. The managers monitor the impact of the curriculum. They make good use of additional funding and swiftly identify when children may benefit from extra help in their learning.

Staff promote children's independence well. For instance, they encourage children to self-serve themselves lunch and pour their own drinks. Staff teach children some important self-care skills.

For instance, they support children to wash their hands after using the toilet and before meals. However, staff do not consistently reinforce good hygiene routines at other times. For instance, they do not ensure that children wipe their noses or encourage them to cover their mouths when coughing.

This does not fully support children to understand how to keep themselves healthy.Staff are clear about what they want children to learn. They carry out observations and assessments of children's development.

This helps staff to think carefully about what children already know when deciding what to teach them next. However, some transition times, such as before lunchtime and when younger children wake up from a sleep, are not always well planned to sustain children's attention. On occasions, younger children lose focus and do not benefit from the planned learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen hygiene practices, so they are consistently embedded to promote children's understanding of good hygiene review the organisation of transition times to reduce young children's waiting times and maintain quality interactions.