Topsie Gillingham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff provide a calm, welcoming and exciting play space for children.

The learning environment has been carefully thought through, and children benefit from the home-from-home feel. Staff greet children warmly at the start of each session. Children enter enthusiastically and engage in play and learning immediately.

There is a well-thought-out curriculum that is designed to successfully prepare children for future learning, including moving on to school. Staff provide good opportunities for children to be independent, confident, resilient and social, enabling children to develop positive relationships with others. For e...xample, at lunchtimes, children chatter happily as they peel their fruit and sing songs.

When they need help, they are confident to ask, but always have a go first. Children help to look after their own needs and show pride in their achievements.Staff use books extremely well, reading stories dynamically, capturing children's attention and developing their listening and speaking skills.

Children share their thoughts and ideas about storylines. Children listen to others' views and extend conversations. Children know to take turns and share resources during group activities.

For example, when playing outside with the sand, they negotiate whose turn it is to use the watering can next and about where the water needs to be poured.

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

The management team effectively supports staff to extend their skills. It encourages staff to attend training that enhances their interactions with children and delivery of the curriculum.

This has led the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) to incorporate new ideas, such as 'bucket time', to develop children's listening and focus during activities. Recent Froebel training has prompted staff to extend children's curiosity and exploration in their play.Staff know the curriculum well and use this to plan activities based on what children already know and what they need to learn next.

The curriculum is delivered successfully by staff who develop children's independence through encouraging them to do things for themselves and make choices. Children persevere to undress themselves to remove their outdoor clothing. They tackle hook and loop fastenings, and zips on their coats, and hang the items on their pegs.

They learn to solve problems and work with others, successfully sharing and taking turns. Staff ask key questions that get children to think for themselves. Children enjoy being with their friends.

They are making good progress from their starting points, because staff know them well and provide the support they need.Staff are positive role models. They are sensitive, kind and enthusiastic in their interactions with children.

Children know that they will receive the support and input they want when they engage with staff. They act with kindness towards others and understand staff's expectations for good behaviour. Staff teach children breathing techniques and humming to help them calm down and focus on activities.

Staff encourage children well to listen, understand and communicate their thoughts, needs and ideas. Children have a wide vocabulary. Staff give them the words to their actions, and use books successfully to get children talking.

Staff provide excellent opportunities for children to solve problems, think of solutions and test their ideas. For example, after staff read a story about a boat with a broken sail, children find a toy boat that needs fixing. Staff ask them what they can do and what they will need to repair the sail.

They ask children how they will fix it with the tape, scissors and sticks they find. Children tell staff that they will need their help to hold it while they put the tape and sticks on.There are good partnerships with parents.

Effective communication enables parents and staff to share and gain information about the children. Staff provide ways that parents can extend their children's learning at home. Parents talk positively about their children's experiences and the links they have with their child's key person.

Staff support children well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to help them achieve. Staff know what children need and provide some targeted activities. However, staff do not always do as much as they can during the sessions to provide this targeted support more frequently, to help all children achieve their key next steps as swiftly as they can.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture round 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: provide more targeted and frequent support throughout the sessions to help children achieve their next steps more swiftly.