Hill farm playcare ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The quality of teaching and learning that the children receive is variable. Staff know the children in their care well and they plan a range of experiences that support their individual interests and next steps in their learning.

However, although the activities are exciting and engaging, staff do not effectively manage the activities to ensure that all children have equal opportunities to make progress in their learning. Therefore, some children do not receive the support they need to progress to a good level. In addition, information about children's next steps in their learning is not shared with their parents.

All chi...ldren have a key person. Staff are knowledgeable about children's individual needs, backgrounds, and previous experiences. Staff warmly welcome children, and this helps them to swiftly settle and engage in their chosen area of play.

Children demonstrate that they are secure and comfortable in their surroundings. For example, children confidently announce 'morning, I'm here' as they approach the staff and their peers. Children develop strong bonds with their peers and show high levels of care and concern.

Staff encourage children to chat and socialise with one another as they play. At lunchtime, children talk about the food in their packed lunches, and staff support them to understand about leading a healthy lifestyle and eating foods that are good for their bodies.

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

The provider, who is also the manager, has implemented many positive changes since the last inspection.

An effective key-person system has been implemented and some steps have been taken to improve staff's overall knowledge of how to provide better care and learning for the children in their care. The manager has worked with her local authority adviser, who has provided frequent support. However, not all required changes have been implemented fully into practice.

Consequently, further improvements are required to raise the overall quality to a good level.The small team consists of the manager and her deputy. They have recently attended safeguarding training to improve their knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities.

Although they work well together as a team, the manager does not monitor practice well enough to ensure that all children receive the best quality learning experiences. This is specifically evident during adult-led activities.Children enjoy their learning and are keen to be engaged in activities that reflect their interests.

Children participate in a construction activity where they pretend to construct building and towers. Children access a range of tools, and wear high-visibility jackets and hard helmets. However, there are times when the more-confident children, who have been attending the nursery for longer, overshadow the learning of the newer children.

Staff do not always manage this effectively to ensure that all children can fully engage with the activity. Consequently, this restricts the learning and progress that some children make.Children generally behave well.

That said, staff do not always support children most effectively to understand how to manage their behaviour and learn the difference between right and wrong. At times, staff simply say the child's name or the word 'no'. As a result, children are unaware of what they have done wrong or what is expected of them.

Staff support children who speak English as an additional language. Staff find out from children's parents words that children may use in their home language. This enables staff to understand some of the words that children say and helps them to meet their needs.

Staff listen to the children and give them the time they need to communicate in one-to-one conversations. Staff support children to speak in English by helping them to repeat and practise new words.The manager and her deputy form relationships with the children's parents from the onset of providing care.

Parents say that they are very satisfied with the service they receive. They comment that the staff are warm and kind towards their children, who often speak about them at home. Staff duplicate the children's learning journals so that both parents can have a booklet of memories of their child's time at the nursery.

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, the provider must: Due date raise the quality of teaching and interactions during adult-lead activities to guide all children's development to a good level 15/04/2024 make sure that there are suitable arrangements in place for the supervision and monitoring of staff practice, to provide coaching and support that raises the quality of teaching to enhance all children's development 15/04/2024 ensure that children are supported to understand what is expected of them in order to behave well 15/04/2024 provide parents with information about their children's individual next steps in learning to help them to support their children's development at home.

15/04/2024