Phoenix Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children feel safe and cared for by friendly staff.

They enter the setting happily and staff greet them warmly. Children confidently express their wants and needs, and staff respond attentively. Staff use funding effectively to support disadvantaged children.

They ensure that children have hot nutritious meals to ensure that they grow strong and healthy, supporting their physical and mental well-being. All children make good progress in their learning. Staff know what children need to learn and plan their curriculum around their next steps of development and current interests.

Younger children are beginning to... develop their independence skills well. Staff encourage them to persevere when putting their shoes on, and children show pride in their achievements when they succeed. Three- and four-year-old children are highly competent in managing small tasks.

They enjoy laying the table at lunchtime and handing out meals to their peers. Children behave well. Staff help them to regulate their emotions by naming their feelings and providing them with cuddles and reassurance.

Staff use a designated sensory area where children can relax and practise breathing techniques to help them feel calm.

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

All children enjoy interactive games with staff. Children try hard to throw the plastic hoop onto the moving 'wobbly worm'.

Staff help children to take turns, encouraging them to make a line so each child can have their go. Staff use positive praise, such as 'good listening', to encourage children to be patient.Children join for group times, where staff sing songs and read stories to encourage their listening and attention skills.

However, staff do not always adapt whole-group times quickly enough to sustain children's attention to ensure that all children are fully engaged. Some children wander off or engage in other activities.Staff encourage children to be active.

Inside, children enjoy singing 'The Grand Old Duke of York' using musical instruments. They laugh as they march up and down and enjoy listening to the sounds their instruments make. Outside, children benefit from ride-on toys and other activities to support their physical skills.

Children enjoy learning about their favourite stories, such as 'The Three Little Pigs'. They enjoy making a large wall display, using a variety of creative materials of the characters in the story. Staff extend this, such as encouraging children to make 'houses' using magnetic toys.

However, at times, staff do not always expand conversations, particularly for the three- and four-year-old children, to further enhance their language skills.Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents speak highly of the support the setting provide to them as a whole family.

They talk about how the setting have been instrumental in liaising with external agencies to ensure that children receive the additional support they require.Overall, children understand the daily routines. Staff sing songs as a prompt for children to tidy up and wash their hands before mealtimes.

Children understand they need to sit down when eating to ensure their safety. However, sometimes, not all staff are not consistent with one the setting rules. For example, the manager politely asks children not to stand on chairs at the kitchen worktop when meals are being served.

However, some staff allow this, meaning that some children on occasion do not always have consistent messages to help them understand the expectations of the setting.The setting has strong links with the local community. Nearby neighbours contribute to the setting's food bank, providing vulnerable families with essential items.

The setting also contributes to this and delivers the food to those who need it.The manager ensures that staff have access to frequent training to support their professional development. Staff use this new knowledge to benefit children, such as ensuring all children have time to think and respond to questions asked.

They also use sign language to communicate with younger children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to aid their understanding.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff help children to understand risks.

They skilfully link the story of 'The Three Little Pigs' to help children become aware of strangers. Staff talk to older children who attend the holiday club about online dangers. They teach them to talk to a trusted adult if they see or hear anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.

The manager and staff have a good understanding of child protection. They show confidence in identifying potential signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm, and know who to report their concerns to.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nadapt whole-group times to ensure that all children are consistently engaged nextend older children's language skills to further promote their communication and understanding provide consistent boundaries to help all children understand and adhere to the setting's rules.