Fennies Epsom

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children arrive happy, motivated and eager to learn. They settle straight away into the activities that have been carefully planned for them.

Babies are warmly welcomed by their key person, who helps them to settle using a range of sensory resources. Older children know where to hang up their coats and bags, and do so independently upon arrival. Children have access to an enclosed garden with a range of resources that support their physical development.

Staff actively encourage all children to manage their own risk and offer support should they need it. For example, young children are reminded how to look over t...he bridge safely when saying 'hello' to the children below. Children consistently have positive attitudes to learning.

They enthusiastically share their literacy skills and act out stories they have listened to. For example, children independently take turns being the bear from the story about a bear hunt. They proudly share their literacy knowledge with others, reminding each other what happens next in the story.

Children confidently spell out their own name and attempt to spell out each other's names.

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

Members of the management team support staff well-being extremely well. They have implemented a range of ways to ensure that staff feel listened to and valued.

For example, they have recently introduced time where staff can discuss anything that may be affecting them outside of work. In addition to this, staff are provided with a freshly cooked lunch every day.The management team provides staff with highly effective, regular supervision where they discuss how children are progressing.

Staff can share any concerns they may have, as well as identifying any training needs. They access a comprehensive training package targeted to support their individual learning styles. Staff feel very well supported within their roles.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive excellent support. The management team and staff have high expectations for all children. They work extremely well with external agencies to ensure they provide children with consistent teaching and care.

The setting uses funding it receives to ensure children are taught new skills in a way that meets their individual needs. As a result, children are making excellent progress.Members of the management team are extremely passionate about making sure parents feel well supported when their children start.

They have recently made some changes to the information they receive from parents about their children. Parents know what their children are learning about and are kept up to date with their progress. The management team has introduced ways to support working parents.

For example, parents are able to work remotely from the setting in a designated room. They can order freshly cooked meals to take home when they collect their children. As a result, parents feel very well supported and comfortable to share their feedback.

Children learn from a challenging and motivating curriculum that is consistently embedded across the setting. Babies and young children are learning to be independent. For example, babies are shown how to tidy up the toys before they have lunch.

They use this knowledge and copy adults sweeping the floor after lunch with their own dustpan and brush. Young children remind each other to wipe their faces after lunch and to put their wipes in the bin afterwards.Older children are highly motivated to learn.

They communicate confidently with adults and other children, sharing their ideas and respecting the ideas of others. For example, children work together to create bridges for small-world bugs. They use a variety of materials to create different types of bridges.

The children discuss with each other how effective they think their bridge might be. They apply their mathematical knowledge to their creations, saying, 'two and one make three'. Staff introduce new vocabulary to children, such as 'connecting' and 'joining'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The management team has robust safeguarding procedures in place that all staff understand. The designated leads for safeguarding understand their responsibilities and place high priority on making sure that children are safe.

Staff know how to recognise indicators of abuse and understand the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. They attend regular training and have access to in-house training webinars to update their knowledge, including wider aspects of safeguarding such as preventing children from radicalisation. The management team has made improvements to the risk assessments to ensure children with allergies are supported effectively.