The Learning Experience, East Finchley

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are safe and happy in a warm and friendly environment.

They access resources independently. This shows that they are settled within the environment. Children benefit from nurturing relationships with caring staff who respond to their individual needs.

Babies enjoy peekaboo games. These positive interactions ensure that the children feel secure within the setting. Children demonstrate positive friendly behaviour towards others.

Mealtimes encourage children to develop their independence; children serve themselves. The pre-school children help staff to clean the tables after lunch. This enables the child...ren to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

Children expand their vocabulary by repeating words modelled by staff. They develop their understanding of different concepts. For example, children spend time learning about their senses.

The younger children use their sense of smell to identify coffee and oranges. The older children develop their understanding by talking about their five senses while they explore textures such as jelly and custard. Experiences such as these help children to make progress in all areas of the curriculum.

Children speak fondly about their time at the setting. They talk about what they have enjoyed doing throughout their day. Outside, the children select funnels and explore, moving water from one tray to another.

This helps them to develop their understanding of how things work.

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

The key-person system is well embedded within the setting. Staff know the children well.

They are clear about children's individual starting points. Staff can identify the children's next steps within their development. This helps all children to make good progress.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is well thought out, progressive and ambitious, enabling the children to make steady progress. This supports the children to develop their skills and understanding within all areas of learning.Partnership with parents is strong.

Parents talk positively about the setting and how their children develop. They speak favourably about transitions and how staff support the children when transitioning from one room to the next. These strong partnerships help children to transition easily from home to the setting.

Staff use repetition, labelling and sign language to support the children within their communication and language development. They sing songs to the children to help them to understand different concepts. For example, 'Everybody, sit down just like me' is sung to the children at circle time.

This helps the children to develop a rich range of vocabulary. However, staff do not always get down to the children's level and engage with them as they play. On these occasions, children do not always progress with their communication and language skills.

Staff ensure that story time is engaging. Children show a genuine interest in books. This helps the children to develop their speech and build on their vocabulary.

The nursery takes on an active role within the community. They provide support to families outside of the setting. For example, the children donate to the local food bank.

This teaches them about helping others.The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Leaders work closely with outside agencies and charities to ensure that they meet the needs of all children within the setting.

This helps each child to make progress within their individual learning journeys.Leaders plan a clear curriculum for physical development. Children benefit from moving in different ways, such as jumping on different-coloured blocks.

This enables the children to develop their gross motor skills.The setting provides opportunities for children to develop their curiosity of cause and effect, for example by rolling balls down tubes at different heights. This enables the children to become active learners, exploring how things work.

Staff ensure that children have opportunities to recall their own experiences. For example, they explore the imaginary equipment while talking about their home lives to support them in their play. This helps the children to feel included within the setting.

Children learn to share their ideas with others.The manager ensures that the induction process for new staff is robust. This ensures that staff are all aware of their roles and responsibilities within the setting.

This leads to good outcomes for children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and child protection, including whistle-blowing procedures.

They know how to report their concerns in a timely manner. The recruitment process ensures that all staff are suitable to work with children. The provider has embedded a robust induction procedure to ensure that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities within the setting.

The setting is aware of the children's dietary requirements. They operate a coloured-plate system at mealtimes. This ensures that all the children's dietary requirements are catered for.

Staff have received up-to-date paediatric first-aid training. The setting has systems in place for children with allergies.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to ensure interactions with children are of a consistently high quality to enable children to develop their skills further.