St Michael’s Family Centre (Church Lane)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children thrive in the incredibly calm and nurturing environment that staff create. They are happy and very well settled. Children are deeply engaged in purposeful play.

They self-select from a wide range of toys and resources that encourage them to talk and be creative. Children settle quickly and show that they feel safe and secure. They build incredibly strong bonds with staff, for whom they show genuine affection.

They benefit from an individually tailored approach that prioritises their emotional well-being exceptionally well.All children are highly motivated and eager to learn. For example, children invest...igate the flow of water as they use a range of tools to scoop and pour it.

They develop excellent problem-solving and physical skills as they work out how to tip water into suspended bottles. Children make excellent progress in developing language skills. They listen to staff, repeat words and expand their vocabularies, becoming confident talkers.

Children behave exceptionally well, developing high levels of self-control. They know what is expected and benefit from the incredibly positive atmosphere of mutual trust and respect that staff provide. Children form strong friendships with their peers.

They enjoy sharing toys and learn to take turns as they play games. They proudly put on their coats and use scissors to snip their carton of juice before pouring it into a cup. Children gain excellent skills and attitudes to support the next stage in their learning.

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

Leaders are inspirational. They are highly qualified and professional, with a clear vision that is clearly communicated and supported by staff. Leaders know precisely what they want children to gain and learn.

They arrange highly focused staff training that develops staff's skills to promote children's excellent progress, particularly in communication and development.Leaders highly value their staff. They support and encourage staff to gain professional qualifications.

Staff benefit from regular constructive feedback about their practice and receive encouragement and coaching that further inspires and motivates them. Staff are well supported to manage their workload and enjoy a good home and work life balance.Staff work exceptionally well with parents.

They establish close professional relationships that build a successful two-way flow of information. Parents receive information on a daily basis about their child's progress and how they may support their learning at home. Parents are highly complimentary about the nursery and staff.

They state that they feel incredibly well informed and involved in their child's learning and development. They add that they find staff to be extremely kind, approachable and highly knowledgeable.Staff know children exceptionally well.

They know precisely what each child needs to learn next. They intuitively adapt their approach as they follow children's lead in play. There is a sharp emphasis on supporting children's communication and language development.

Staff purposely arrange the environment to encourage children to talk and share their ideas. Children hear and talk about environmental sounds, such as when an aeroplane flies overhead. They anticipate words and phrases when staff read stories.

They confidently share what they know, such as making links to foods they eat and animal sounds when they sing songs and rhymes.Children are eager to join in with games. They learn to count in sequence, recognise numerals and develop an understanding of 'more and less than'.

They guess how many more boys there are than girls present and count out pennies to buy 'currant buns' as they sing songs. Staff expertly build on children's knowledge, using a range of strategies that help them to secure knowledge and skills for their future learning.Staff know that children have different experiences outside of the setting.

They plan effectively to ensure that all children have rich and enjoyable experiences. Children have excellent opportunities to engage with the local community. For instance, staff take babies to the library for story and rhyme time; older children visit and talk with the elderly in a local nursing home.

Children learn about healthy food choices as they help to grow fruit and vegetables with staff at the community allotment.Staff work exceptionally well with other professionals to secure swift support for children and their families. They reflect on feedback from the local reception teachers to help to prepare older children for the move to school.

Staff have well-established systems to ensure children's specific needs and emotional well-being are consistently met as they move through the setting and on to school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders are highly knowledgeable and experienced about safeguarding issues.

They are proactive in establishing excellent partnerships with other professionals to help to keep their knowledge of potential local safeguarding issues updated. Staff receive regular training and updates about safeguarding issues. They confidently fulfil their role to protect children from harm.

They know what to do should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff demonstrate an expert knowledge of wider safeguarding issues. Leaders implement robust recruitment processes to help assure the suitability of adults working with children.