Histon Early Years Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Children love attending Histon Early Years Centre.

Adults provide children with rich experiences to allow them to explore the world around them. Children love exploring the outdoor areas such as the 'pebble riverbed', the garden area and the ice cream shop. These provide wonderful settings for children to develop their physical, language and social skills.

Adults care deeply for the children they work with. Children receive great support and guidance. This is especially the case for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Children with SEND are very well supported. Skilled adults adapt the learning for these children so they can le...arn the same curriculum as their peers.

Children learn routines to help them be independent.

This includes the very youngest children. They help with serving their own lunch. Children enjoy chatting with each other during snack times.

There are many times through the day when children develop their social language and interactions.

Relationships between adults and children are strong. Children behave very well.

They play together, laugh together and share equipment well. Children can say what is making them feel sad or angry because they have been taught the words that they need to use to express these feelings. When there are disagreements between children, adults are quick to help them resolve situations.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children learn well. Leaders have identified what they expect children to know and be able to do by the end of each year. Adults interact skilfully with children and help them to learn new words and practise these in different contexts.

Adults pay close attention to children's own interests and help them learn and practise new knowledge and skills.

Children develop a love of books. They listen to, and join in with, a wide range of stories, poems and songs.

Adults select 'focus books' that they regularly share with children. Children enjoy retelling or acting out these stories that they know in depth. This helps children increase their range of vocabulary, which they use well.

Children develop a detailed knowledge of the world around them. Younger children know and can explain the life cycle of a butterfly, including how 'caterpillars go into their cocoon'. Older children learn a great deal about space travel and the planets in the solar system.

In a few areas of learning, leaders are finalising their curriculum design and thinking. They have not yet precisely identified what they expect children to know, remember and be able to do and how they ensure consistency of provision across different rooms. This means that during times when children choose their own activities it is not always clear what adults want children to learn or gain from an activity.

The needs of children with SEND are well met. Adults are skilled at adapting activities to allow children with SEND to access the full curriculum. They also know when to step back.

This means children with SEND are well supported to develop independence. Parents, rightly, highly value the support their children with SEND receive.

The provision for children's personal development is of very high quality.

Children contribute to the local community. There is a well-established relationship with the local residential care home which provides children with the chance to interact and spend time with the residents. Children are responsible for growing, and caring for, a range of plants and vegetables in the school's garden, some of which end up on their plate at lunchtime.

Differences between children are celebrated. Children know not everyone is the same because adults regularly talk with children about differences.

Children behave extremely well.

Adults and children have developed very positive relationships with each other. There are clear routines that children know how to follow. For example, when going to the outside areas on a sunny day, children know they must put on their sun hats and sun cream and ensure they hydrate.

They use equipment with care and tidy it away neatly once they have finished.

Adults value the support that senior leaders provide for them. Leaders look after staff's well-being and workload.

Adults have opportunities to develop professionally, through training, working with other local nurseries and through links with nurseries in other countries that have been established.

Governance has been strengthened since the previous inspection. Several newly appointed governors have brought skills and knowledge to the governing body.

This includes knowledge of finance which was lacking in the past. These recently appointed governors require further training and support to ensure they carry out their roles effectively. This is especially the case when challenging leaders over the quality of education children receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a culture of vigilance. Safeguarding is at the forefront of everyone's mind.

Adults are well trained to spot the signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They know exactly what to do if they have a concern. Leaders keep detailed records of any concerns that are raised.

Where children need extra help, leaders are quick to provide this.

Leaders carry out detailed checks on adults who start work in school. Governors know their responsibility to check regularly to ensure leaders are doing all they should to keep children safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have designed a curriculum with clear and ambitious end points for each year. In a few remaining areas of learning, there is not sufficient clarity about the specific knowledge and skills children need to know, remember and be able to do and how leaders ensure consistency for children across different rooms. This means that adults are not always clear about what children should learn and gain from activities, especially when children are choosing and working independently.

Leaders should ensure they complete the work they have started, so children can learn well across all areas of learning. ? Some recently appointed governors do not have a clear and full understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Governors should receive further training so they fully understand, and carry out, their roles to continue to improve and sustain the quality of education children receive.

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