Early Explorers Childcare Limited - Shoreham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff give children and their families a warm welcome as they arrive at the pre-school.

Laughter can be heard throughout the day, and the close bonds that staff form with children are evident. Staff organise events in the local community to help children gain a fantastic understanding of the world in which they live, in particular the local community. For example, children learn about how to care for the planet by taking part in regular local litter picks.

They collect food for the local food bank and are taught that there are people who are less fortunate than themselves. These outings provide children with valuable n...ew experiences.Children are confident and demonstrate high levels of self-esteem.

Staff support children to understand their emotions through discussions and activities. They provide children with a positive and consistent role model, which positively impacts on the way children behave both towards each other and to the staff. Children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning.

Staff utilise the expertise of external professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to provide targeted support where needed to help make sure children do not fall behind.

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

Overall, the education provided to support children's learning and development is strong. Staff generally play alongside children and know when to intervene or hold back with interactions.

However, this practice can be variable and, occasionally, affects the overall quality of teaching that staff deliver. As a result, some children do not always benefit from the same high level of interactions as their friends may do. Leaders are aware that there is still scope to improve and enhance the quality and consistency of interactions between staff and children.

There are plans in place for additional support across the staff team, in order to bring the overall quality of teaching to an even higher level.A key strength of the pre-school is the targeted support that is provided for children who need additional help. Leaders act with integrity to ensure that plans are implemented to ensure that all children make the best possible progress and that families have full access to their children's educational entitlement.

Additional funding is carefully used to provide rich experiences that children may not have had before. Equality and inclusion and a dedication to removing barriers to learning are at the heart of all that the leaders do. Parents comment on the excellent communication and the consistently high level of support that they are given both inside and outside the pre-school.

Staff morale is high, and this is of the utmost importance to leaders. Staff comment that they receive highly effective and rigorous supervision meetings and that they are regularly observed in their work. Staff are offered training, guidance and are actively encouraged to give their own ideas and opinions.

They praise the coaching that they receive and comment that the pre-school has a fun and dynamic working environment.Rich experiences, such as outings to farms and going on a bus journey to the library, are meticulously planned to support a broad and balanced curriculum. For example, staff weave in ideas for future activities based on children's current interests and existing knowledge.

Children are taught about cultural celebrations as leaders encourage parents to share resources and to visit the pre-school to share information about festivals that are important to them. Books in dual languages are offered to parents so that they can continue to support children's learning in the home environment in a language that is familiar to them.Children develop a strong understanding of healthy lifestyles.

Staff encourage discussions about foods that are good for our bodies. Activities, such as teeth brushing and talking about children's own experiences, support the learning of healthy practices effectively. Children have daily access to outside play opportunities during which they are able to run around in the fresh air with their friends.

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: nimprove the consistency of staff's interactions with children to support all children to fully engage with the learning opportunities provided.