Dream Catchers playschool Cosham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Staff kindly greet children as they arrive at this warm and welcoming nursery.

They offer plenty of reassurance to children who need extra support to settle. Children show confidence as they engage in their chosen activities, which staff provide. However, there are weaknesses in the planning of what staff want children to learn next.

This means that activities are not always planned to build effectively on children's learning, to help them make consistently good progress. Despite this, there is a clear vision of encouraging children to develop strong bonds with staff. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

...Staff are kind, sensitive and treat children with respect. For example, they praise children throughout the day and listen to their views and opinions.Children are happy, settled and have fun as they play.

They thoroughly enjoy developing a wide range of physical skills during dance and yoga sessions. Staff provide activities for children to develop their small muscles in their hands. For example, older children demonstrate good pencil control as they draw detailed pictures.

Younger children enjoy moulding play dough in their hands. They use a range of tools to make marks and create shapes.Overall, children behave well.

They are beginning to learn how to share, take turns and play cooperatively together. However, staff deployment is not always effective. At times, minor disagreements go unnoticed by staff.

This does not support children's personal, social and emotional development consistently.

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

Leaders are passionate about providing good-quality care and education for all children. However, not all staff are clear about what they want children to learn next, especially for children who speak English as an additional language.

Although staff provide a range of learning experiences for children to enjoy, they do not always capture children's interest or attention. For example, some children lose focus and wander away. That said, staff are building on strengthening their skills, having experienced several changes in the staff team.

Children arrive with enthusiasm to start their day. They understand the daily routine and follow simple instructions, such as tidying away their toys and washing their hands before mealtimes. Children are beginning to develop some independence skills, for instance as they pour their own drinks.

Staff gently remind children to get a tissue to wipe their nose and offer support to those who need it. This helps children to learn about caring for themselves and to develop the skills they need for the future.Leaders recognise children's different learning needs and styles.

They work with families and other professionals to put effective support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders use additional funding to effectively meet the needs of the children it is intended for. However, during daily routines, staff do not always interact with children or deploy themselves effectively.

For example, strategies outlined in children's learning plans are not consistently put in place. This does not help children to make the best possible progress.Overall, staff support children's communication and language skills well.

They model good language and ask open-ended questions, giving children time to think and respond. Children learn new words and their meaning, such as 'electricity' and 'stems'. Staff enthusiastically sing songs and rhymes with children.

They introduce basic sign language to complement the new songs that children learn. Children enthusiastically sing out loud and copy the correct signs to words.Staff benefit from supervision sessions, where their well-being is well supported.

All staff complete mandatory training, such as first aid and safeguarding. However, due to the recent changes in the staff team, coaching, mentoring and training for staff is not fully embedded. For example, leaders have not ensured that relevant staff have completed required training that specifically addresses the care of babies.

In addition, there has not been enough focus on how well the curriculum is implemented. Consequently, this does not ensure that children's learning experiences are consistently good.Partnership with parents is effective.

Staff know families well and they provide support when needed. Parents speak very positively about the nursery and the staff team. They know who their children's key person is and comment on the progress their children have made.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date implement a well-planned and sequenced curriculum that is understood by all staff, especially for children who speak English as an additional language, so that teaching is consistent and builds on what children know and can do 02/01/2025 improve staff deployment to ensure the needs of children are met at all times, including those with SEND 19/12/2024 implement effective arrangements for the monitoring, coaching and training of staff to improve their teaching and knowledge of child development, including training for the care of babies.

19/12/2024