Tiddlywinks York

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Leaders and staff create an exceptionally welcoming and stimulating environment.

Staff have high expectations for children's learning. Children are highly motivated to learn. They operate with extreme confidence and independence throughout the nursery.

For example, they quickly learn to serve their own lunch, pour their drink and butter their toast. They post their name cards to register that they are present and find their coats to go outside.Children in all areas confidently explore their surroundings.

This is due to the breadth of outstanding experiences that are easily accessible to all children. Fo...r example, babies concentrated for prolonged periods as they explored the texture, sound and smells of the natural resources. These included the leaves and pine cones, or the various herbs in the dough.

Older children were fully absorbed as they played in the mud cafe.Children's learning is further enhanced through excellent partnerships with parents. Successful links with the wider community and teachers who visit the children in the nursery are also very beneficial.

For example, children proudly demonstrated their fluency in basic Spanish. They learn how their bodies work from their 'stretch and grow' sessions. They love the art and craft activities with the elderly when they visit a local care home.

They talk about their keen interest in the science lessons.

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

Staff know when to intervene in children's play. For example, to provide a dialogue to aid children's thinking.

Importantly, they also know when to step back and allow children's play to flow. Staff have an excellent knowledge of children's learning needs and how to stretch them further. This helps children to remain engaged and focused at all times.

Staff place a high focus on children's communication. They used simple sign language with younger children, and various resources to help children to talk about their feelings. They offer increasingly complex vocabulary for children to talk about their learning.

Older children talked eloquently about the worms and other mini-beasts they discovered. They explained that the worm prefers to live below the ground. They went on to carefully rescue it from their mud pie to put it back in the ground.

Children work and play exceptionally well together. For example, when a game in the mud café evolved, they discussed what they needed to do and passed the equipment to each other. Older children listen attentively at group times and readily take turns and invite others into their game.

Staff are superb role models.Good-quality home-cooked food contributes considerably to the overall quality of the provision. Children's appetite was whetted by the smell of pasta sauce cooking in the kitchen.

They use cutlery very well and develop very pleasant table manners. Children helped to weigh and measure the ingredients for biscuits then had fun helping themselves to the flour for their pretend cakes. The chef consistently meets children's individual requirements.

Parents who taste the food at social events confirm that it is lovely, and that the chef successfully meets their children's changing needs.Leaders rigorously monitor the quality of the provision. They sensitively support staff to perform even better.

This helps leaders to ensure that the well-planned curriculum is consistently implemented. Staff feel well supported by leaders in all aspects of their work and their home life. Therefore, children benefit enormously from a strong, stable and very well-qualified staff team.

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the nursery. They comment on the incredible experiences that their children access. They feel that staff truly care for their children.

Parents receive excellent information about how their children spend their time and what they are learning.Children develop a love of being active outside in the fresh air. They develop excellent physical skills.

Children balance, climb, construct and pedal very well. They use tools such as chopsticks, tongs and pipettes with increasing skill. Importantly, they learn to wash their hands when they come inside for their snack.

Babies have great fun in the sand, climbing or painting in their garden.Staff use two-year-old assessments effectively. They also successfully harness children's natural talents.

This helps children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to catch up with and, in some areas, exceed their peers.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Safeguarding training is given the highest priority for all staff according to their role and level of responsibility.

Leaders test staff's knowledge regularly. This means that all staff can confidently explain how to identify children who may be at risk. They speedily recall who to contact and how to secure help for such children, either with or without the support of managers.

Procedures for the safe recruitment of staff further promote children's safety. Leaders are vigilant in making sure that all staff continue to be suitable for their roles. All staff hold current paediatric first-aid qualifications.