Plympton St Maurice Childcare Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have a strong sense of belonging to the setting. They arrive happy and eager to play.

All children give their parents and carers a quick 'bye' and go in to see their friends. Staff boost children's self-esteem. For example, they choose pre-school-aged children to be 'special helpers' for the day.

Children alert their friends when it is time to stop and do something different by ringing a bell. Staff help pre-school-aged children to work cooperatively and tidy up when they hear it ring. These children respond well to instructions and follow the rules and routines of the setting.

There is an ambitious c...urriculum in place to help children to build on their physical development. Staff are clear on the intent and implement a curriculum that builds on what children know, can do, and need to learn next. For example, staff provide opportunities for babies to gain neck and core strength through 'tummy time' experiences.

As babies become stronger, staff work on supporting their leg muscles. Staff know when babies are ready to stand and, with encouragement, help them to try it. Partnership with parents is good.

Staff inform parents about what their children are working on next. They share ideas on how to further children's development at home. Parents comment that their children have made progress in their early writing skills.

They particularly enjoy hearing songs at home that their children have learned in the setting.

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

Toddlers learn about what makes them unique, and build relationships with others. They draw people and staff help them to add eyes and other facial features.

Staff broaden toddlers' knowledge and understanding of similarity and difference. They talk about the colour of their hair and draw everyone in their pictures with smiles. Toddlers tell staff that they have drawn their friends.

Children are independent. Staff teach babies to learn how to hold and use a spoon while they eat. Toddlers learn how to wash their faces and independently do this after lunch.

Staff encourage pre-school-aged children to take responsibility and share resources with their friends. These children decide to use a sand timer to determine how much time each has left to wear a popular dressing-up outfit.Pre-school-aged children take turns using tricycles in the garden.

They ride around with friends in the back seat. Toddlers practise kicking a ball as high as they can and demonstrate good control and coordination. Some pre-school-aged children climb up a slope while balancing a ball on top of a cup.

They show high levels of concentration and persevere to keep it balanced until they get to the top.Staff sing nursery rhymes to babies in the garden as they rock backwards and forwards on a see-saw. Babies show high levels of well-being.

However, staff do not fully understand how to support and extend babies' communication and language, in order to further their speaking skills. For example, staff use long or complex sentences with babies who only communicate by babbling or with one-word sentences. Babies are not always able to hear new words or repeat them back to staff.

Pre-school-aged children recall a well-known story about three bears. They remember key events of the story with staff and what happens next. Children describe how characters feel and tell staff that characters 'may be sad'.

However, at times, staff do not organise adult-led activities to minimise distractions and keep all pre-school-aged children focused and engaged in their learning. For example, staff lead a listening activity with a group of pre-school-aged children. Staff begin and conduct the activity while it is very noisy in the room.

These children become distracted and lose focus.Leaders deliver training to all staff on how to support children to manage their emotions. Following this, staff talk with children about how they feel and acknowledge these feelings.

For example, sometimes, toddlers struggle to share. Staff suggest alternative toys, and offer comfort and reassurance. Toddlers describe how they feel and, with the support of kind staff, learn to regulate their emotions.

The lead practitioner for safeguarding ensures that all staff know how to respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect. Staff record safeguarding information. Leaders regularly review this to ensure that necessary action is taken in order to keep children safe.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff knowledge and understanding of how to support and extend babies' communication and language, to further their speaking skills norganise adult-led activities to minimise distractions and keep all pre-school-aged children focused and engaged in their learning.

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