Thurston Childcare

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children thrive at this setting. The staff get to know about children and their home lives. This enables the staff to give highly individualised, expert support to children.

For example, during an activity learning why it is important to brush teeth, staff know who each child lives with. They help children count how many toothbrushes they have at home. Children then talk about what their toothpaste tastes like, and which flavours they like and do not like as much.

Young children thoroughly enjoy having stories read to them and sharing books together. They show that they are familiar with the story and they confi...dently complete the rhyming parts that they know. Children benefit from a wealth of new experiences.

The leaders and managers fully exploit the potential learning that each opportunity offers. For example, they recognise how children can learn lots of new and challenging vocabulary from learning all about bees, their honey and how they build their hives. Children help to keep chickens, meet members of the community that help them, such as police officers, and can choose to join in with planned yoga sessions.

A child proudly celebrates what they can do when they say, 'I can do a tree pose, look.'

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

The recently built setting, in the grounds of its host school, is welcoming, inviting and a hive of activity. Staff expertly use the various areas available to the children to maximise learning and enjoyment.

Highly qualified leaders, managers and staff are extremely knowledgeable about how to offer children excellent early childhood education. They meticulously plan a broad, varied and challenging curriculum. It is informed by their precise, regular assessments of where each and every child is in their development.

This helps children to make excellent progress in their learning.The teamwork between managers and staff is highly effective. They continuously communicate about the activities and teaching, and the organisation of the day.

Regular staff meetings support staff in reflecting on practice and making adjustments to all aspects of the setting. Bespoke training plans help all staff to build their skills and knowledge to higher levels. This results in a strong ethos of continuous improvement where all strive to provide the best possible care and education for children.

Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Staff help parents to further children's learning at home by emailing and making activities available that link to each new subject or experience that children have enjoyed in the setting.Where children are not working at the levels expected for their age and stage of development, staff put in place clear, concise and highly effective plans together with parents.

All staff understand these plans, and seamlessly incorporate the extra support that children need into their day.Children are very involved in all aspects of the setting. They keenly bring in their toys and items that interest them from home for 'show and tell'.

They listen carefully as other children tell them about their own experiences and interests. Children attempt challenging tasks, while still asking for, and accepting, help where they need it.Children's bonds with staff are excellently established.

They smile and jump with excitement when they talk about their key person. All children benefit from daily time with their key person in their small groups. Their key person gives them highly focused teaching linked to the strong curriculum.

In addition to regular time with their key person, several other short group times are interspersed throughout children's day, for example, to sing or listen to stories. At these times, staff deliver the carefully planned curriculum to continually reinforce children's learning. Children keenly recognise the importance of concentrating and focusing on their learning.

They understand the purpose of listening to staff and consciously work on developing their skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All those working with children are aware of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard them.

Leaders strive to achieve the highest possible standards. They carefully assess and manage any risks in the setting. Leaders and managers carefully monitor any situations that may pose a risk to children.

They signpost parents to other organisations and regularly 'check in' with families who they know have challenging home situations. Safeguarding lead practitioners work closely with other agencies to help protect children from harm. Leaders check that staff have the knowledge that they need to be able to recognise any possible indicators of abuse and/or neglect.

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