Readwell Care

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happily and are warmly greeted by staff, who invite them to choose activities. Staff encourage children to be independent.

They take their coats off and put them away in the right place. Children have the opportunity to take part in a range of sensory experiences, encouraging them to be curious and explore new things. For example, children scoop coloured rice into containers of various sizes.

They talk about how many grains of rice they have in each pot and the different colours they can see. Later, children make potions for their friends. Inside, children access cornflour and water and use a variety of... different tools to make marks.

Older children use toothbrushes to write down the initial sound they can hear in their name. Staff have high expectations of children. Younger children demonstrate that they are kind to each other and show concern for a friend who has fallen over outside.

Staff comfort children promptly when they are upset and as a result, children feel safe and secure. Older children make 'acts of kindness' charts and choose one activity each day to show friendship and kindness to others. Children's early literacy development is promoted well.

Children join in enthusiastically with familiar songs and rhymes. Staff share books with children. They talk about the pictures and children are keen to find out what happens next.

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

The manager is passionate about her role at the setting. Staff feel supported and share her views about how the curriculum is managed. Parents are positive about the setting and say that they feel able to speak to staff at any time if they have any concerns.

Parents feel informed and say that their children are 'happy and well cared for'. Staff find out about children's interests before they start at the setting.Children enthusiastically access the outdoor area.

They race up and down on bikes, avoiding obstacles and showing an awareness of space. They excitedly blow bubbles and laugh as they jump to pop them. Older children notice that the bubbles are 'big' and 'small'.

Staff encourage the children to count the bubbles. This supports children's mathematical development.Activities are planned for children that follow their interests.

Children access a range of resources linked to birthdays and sing 'Happy Birthday' to a member of staff. Children share their own experiences and play imaginatively together. Staff know how to make accurate assessments of children's development and know the children's individual needs well.

They plan activities to offer challenge or provide support to children if they need it.Staff plan activities to broaden children's experiences. For example, when reading the story 'We're going on a bear hunt', children go for a walk to a local woodland to act out parts of the story.

They travel through the 'long, wavy grass' and squelch their wellington boots in mud. They visit the library to find other books that interest them.Children benefit from using real food in the role-play area.

They make cups of tea using china mugs and know they need to be careful so that the mugs do not get broken. Staff talk to children about their favourite drinks. However, opportunities are missed for children to talk about and try a range of healthy foods.

Staff engage with children well and provide them with good-quality interactions. They notice children who need extra support and reassure them and help them to choose an activity to engage with. Staff are attentive towards the children and are keen to have conversations with them about what they are learning.

However, tidy-up times are not clearly organised. This results in children moving on to a new activity and not being asked to help tidy away what they have been playing with at the end of the session.The setting has developed partnerships with outside agencies.

This contributes to a consistent approach for the children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Funding is used effectively to provide children with one-to-one support and sessions with a communication specialist.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a robust knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. Leaders and managers ensure that staff's training is regularly updated.

Staff know the signs and symptoms of abuse to look out for and how to report any concerns they have. The setting has a clear system in place for recording accidents and informing parents. The manager has strong recruitment and induction procedures in place for new staff.

Risk assessments are completed so that children are always kept safe. Children are supervised well as staff are deployed effectively in the different areas of the setting.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: focus on the organisation of tidying-up routines at the end of the session so all children know what is expected of them promote consistent messages about healthy eating to ensure children develop an understanding of a healthy lifestyle.