Firbobs@ Mersey Park

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children feel safe, secure and valued here.

This reflects in their behaviour as they are friendly and welcoming to both visitors and their peers. Older children are particularly nurturing towards their younger friends. For example, they help younger children butter their toast at snack time and put on costumes in the dressing-up area.

Staff are positive role models to children and consistently encourage them to use good manners. Staff teach children about different cultures and diversity within families. This helps them learn about people and families that are different to their own.

Children decide on their own r...ules of the setting, supported by staff, which they call 'our promises'. Children's behaviour is good because these rules are embedded and understood from a young age. Children play well together, taking turns and sharing equipment.

Positive behaviour is promoted by having a range of group and individual reward systems in place.Staff plan a range of exciting and stimulating activities both indoors and outside using children's interests. Children's physical skills are well promoted.

Children are engaged and motivated while staff teach them how to play rounders. They practise their batting and fielding skills and work incredibly well as a team. Older and younger children are thrilled with the excitement of gentle competition and learning new games.

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

The manager has built effective and beneficial working relationships with the host school. She uses these professional partnerships to ensure continuity of care for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Parents are thrilled with the service that the setting provides.

They praise the homely environment and the good communication links with home.Staff greet children warmly. They are interested in children's news and their day.

As a result, children are keen to interact with their key person and other staff. Children are excited to spend time with both staff and their friends. They know the routine of the setting well.

Children hang up their coats independently and store their things away neatly before setting off to play.Children's physical development skills are well promoted. Children eagerly move between indoor and outdoor activities, following their own interests.

While indoors, they are captivated while making sock puppet snowmen. Children carefully scoop the rice into the socks. They use scissors to cut ribbons for decorations.

Staff enthusiastically teach children how to play dodgeball outside. Children thoroughly enjoy practising their throwing skills and they respond well to staff's directions, encouragement and praise.All children have a key member of staff who supports them.

Staff know children well and give any additional support needed. This means that any staff member can share information with parents each day about their child's day in school and their time at the setting.Managers monitor staff well-being and ensure that training and development needs are met.

For example, staff have recently received training in supporting children with challenging behaviour. Staff are well supported by leaders and managers. They receive a detailed induction which enables them to carry out their roles and responsibilities well.

Leaders carry out regular observations of staff during supervisions, and staff attend frequent meetings and training courses.Self-evaluation is thorough and includes the views of staff, children and parents. Managers send out regular parent questionnaires to gain their views.

This provides them with ideas about how they can improve their service. Staff continuously listen to and act upon children's views. They have recently purchased scooters, football nets and costumes as requested by the children.

Children's independence is actively promoted. They carry their snack to the table, put their coats and shoes on and manage their own hygiene. Children make choices to lead their own learning.

They decide and plan the snack menu each week. This includes a range of healthy and nutritious food. Children have access to a range of fresh fruit and vegetables and they enjoy their social mealtimes.

However, staff sometimes forget to remind children to have a drink of water at snack time, or following long periods of physical activity, to help them develop healthy lifestyles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff recognise the signs and symptoms which may indicate a child is being abused.

They confidently know the steps to take should they feel concerned about the welfare of a child. Staff attend training in safeguarding and have a good understanding of wider safeguarding matters. Robust recruitment procedures include rigorous background checks to help ensure that children are always cared for by suitable adults.

Staff assess risks effectively and prepare activities which are suitable and safe for children. The premises are secure and children are safe. Staff are deployed well throughout all areas of the setting and communicate the movement of children to each other well.

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