St Nicholas Children’s Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff build positive, trusting and supportive relationships with children. They involve themselves in children's play. For example, they chat with the older children who dig in the sand in the outdoor sand pit and encourage younger children who are wearing wellies and waterproofs to splash and jump in a big puddle.

Staff working with babies give them plenty of cuddles and reassurance. They help them to learn the names of objects. Babies show their enjoyment as they smile and approach staff, using gestures and words to communicate.

Staff ensure that children hear lots of stories and songs, which helps to develop their u...nderstanding of language.Staff use the newly renovated sensory room with children in small groups and they enjoy opportunities to explore and experiment. Children move energetically and freely in a variety of different and interesting ways.

This helps them to build on their strength and physical skills. The room also provides a quieter haven where children can relax as they study the multi-sensory resources, such as lights and textured materials.Staff routinely assess children's development.

They identify any gaps in what children know and can do, and plan what they will do to promote children's progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well cared for by the sensitive and caring staff. Children with SEND settle well and form friendships with other children.

Staff help them to understand about sharing and taking turns.

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

Overall, the setting is well-led and runs smoothly. Managers have taken effective action after an oversight led to the setting operating without public liability insurance.

A clear system is now in place to prevent re-occurrence of this issue.Those with key responsibilities for safeguarding children have strong skills and knowledge. They are highly respectful of families during their work with them.

Work with other agencies helps to improve the lives of children and their families.Staff deliver purposeful teaching that helps children make progress in all areas of their learning. Staff roles and responsibilities are very clearly defined.

Leaders and managers ensure that staff with extensive experience, who share out managerial and organisational responsibilities, still spend time delivering care and teaching to children. These staff are strong role models for less experienced staff.Staff well-being is a high priority for leaders.

Staff report that there is very positive work environment with good individual support for their well-being. In turn, the well-supported staff create a positive and enjoyable atmosphere in which children behave positively and grow in confidence.Staff complete training which helps to improve their professional knowledge.

They share what they know with each other, for example during staff meetings. However, leaders and managers do not closely or purposefully observe the quality of interaction between staff and children. This means that they miss some opportunities to help staff raise the quality of their practice with children even higher.

Most of the time children are engaged and focused on their learning. For example, older children concentrate in making small characters out of craft materials. However, at some times of the day, children's learning is disturbed by routine tasks such as staff setting the tables for lunch.

This affects children's ability to listen and concentrate on what staff are helping them to learn about.Parents report that their children enjoy attending and have positive experiences of the setting. Information is provided for parents about how the setting runs day-to-day and about key policies and procedures.

Some information is available for parents when their children first begin is translated for parents who speak other languages. Others who speak the same languages sometimes translate so that staff and parents can share information about children's learning. However, some information is not easily available for parents who speak other languages, and this can hinder their ability to understand how the setting operates.

The key-person system works very well. Children's key person routinely delivers their personal care and shares information from parents, as well as spending plenty of time with each of their key children. Consequently, children develop strong bonds with their key person and show that they feel settled and secure in the setting.

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: nobserve staff practice more closely in order to identify further ways to help staff continuously improve the quality of their teaching consider the arrangements for some routines in order to help children concentrate without distractions reflect on ways to give parents who speak English as an additional language more information about how the setting is run and organised to help them have a clearer understanding of how childcare is provided.