Litcham Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children's positive behaviour shows that they feel safe and secure. They play together calmly and get along well as they explore the various activities on offer. Children's imagination develops well as they create and enact stories in a well-resourced role-play area.

Children explore their own ideas and problem-solve. For example, they work out how to use water to float a toy duck along a channel. Children form strong bonds with the caring and well-established staff team.

Staff visit children at their homes before they begin at the setting. This helps children to get to know their key person and paves the way for them ...to settle in well. The setting works in close partnership with the on-site school.

For example, teachers from the Reception class regularly visit the setting, and children share some activities with children from the Reception class. This helps to prepare children for their move on to school. During a shared activity, older children practise their manipulation skills as part of a 'dough disco'.

They keenly listen to and follow instructions from adults, including a visiting teacher. Children develop their fine movements as they poke, pinch and pull the dough into various shapes. This helps to prepare them for learning to write.

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

Children develop a strong sense of belonging at the setting and as part of a wider community. For example, senior members of the local community visit the setting. They share activities, such as modelling dough and singing with the children.

Staff take children on visits and they participate in activities at the school and chapel. Children's parents attend the setting to share termly themed sessions with their children, such as crafts at Easter.Children make good progress from their individual starting points in all areas of their learning.

There are strong opportunities within the setting for children to develop a love of books, stories, rhymes and reading. This supports the development of their language skills.Parents report that their children are happy and look forward to their time at the setting.

Staff know the children very well. They identify what next steps children can work on and deliver good opportunities for children to gain new knowledge and skills. Staff share their regular assessments of children's progress with parents by using verbal and electronic communication.

However, some strategies that the setting uses to involve parents in their children's learning are less effective. Leaders and managers do not use highly engaging strategies to involve parents more, for example helping parents to support children's love of reading.A cohesive team of leaders, managers and staff have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the setting.

They astutely identify areas that need further work to achieve the highest possible quality of education. Staff have regular opportunities to speak with leaders and managers, and as a team. They often review the individual progress of children and any concerns about them.

However, supervision meetings do not always happen frequently enough to help staff to consistently reflect on how they can further develop their practice, or for managers to coach staff to improve their performance.Enthusiastic staff lead children at enjoyable group times. These times are particularly beneficial for older and the most able children.

Older children show very high levels of enthusiasm and engagement as they chat, giggle and share jokes with the staff. For example, when a child suggests that toast begins with the sound 't', staff comment about the smell of burnt toast still being in the air since breakfast and ask children if they can smell it.Younger children typically receive good support from staff as they learn about the setting's routines and develop their confidence.

They enjoy exploring the various play opportunities. For example, they empty and fill containers with oats. However, at group times, young children become distracted and their attention wanes.

Teaching during these times is above their level of understanding and the group is too large for them to sustain attention.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff know how to recognise signs and refer any concerns they have that a child may be at risk from abuse and/or neglect.

Staff work in close partnership with other professionals and families to offer individualised support to families where it is needed. Staff are vigilant and raise any potential concerns with their designated safeguarding lead. They listen to and value what children say.

Recruitment procedures are in place and ensure that only those whose suitability has been checked work with the children. Committee members do not take an active role until their suitability has been established and confirmed by Ofsted.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen further the strategies to involve parents in their children's learning, particularly with regards to helping parents to foster children's love of reading nincrease the effectiveness of staff supervision and training to further support and develop their knowledge and skills review the organisation of group times to encourage the youngest children to join in with activities that are more closely matched to their individual stages of development.