Whipper Snappers Childcare @ St Francis

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are eager to attend and happy to spend time with their friends and staff in this welcoming environment. They enjoy close bonds and secure attachments as they laugh and have fun.

Young children benefit from cuddles, comfort and reassurance as they settle in a new environment. Children's care needs are carefully considered and matched to routines at home. Their well-being is enhanced by the provision of freshly prepared and nutritious meals.

All health needs and dietary requirements are carefully considered and adhered to and healthy eating is promoted with those children who bring a packed lunch. Children are w...ell behaved, caring and considerate. They learn about rules and boundaries and develop a strong sense of belonging and respect for one another.

Their starting points and progress are accurately assessed, and staff have high expectations for all children attending. Children benefit from a range of experiences and activities, which are well considered and adapted to suit their individual needs and abilities. The purposeful play experiences and interactions with staff engage children and enrich their learning.

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

Staff are supported well by leaders and managers. There is a sense of strong teamwork throughout and they recognise each other's strengths. The effective induction procedures and ongoing programme of supervisions and assessments helps to foster a culture of mutual support.

Parents and carers express how much they appreciate the staff and the welcome they and their children receive each time they attend. They explain how the regular exchange of information helps them to know how their children are getting on and how they can support their children's continued learning and development. During lockdown staff kept in touch with the children and families through secure social media and provided activities and resources for them to enjoy at home.

Staff plan and provide a variety of experiences and use a range of teaching techniques to help children develop their confidence and communication skills effectively. For example, they involve themselves in children's play and encourage children to make choices and share ideas to extend their learning. However, during larger group activities some children find it difficult to get involved and more dominant children often take the lead.

Children enjoy using their imaginations as they act out real and pretend experiences using a range of role-play resources. They use malleable materials to mould and create faces and use resources, such as feathers and buttons, to represent their hair and eyes. Children learn about diversity as staff use this as a good opportunity to talk with children about similarities and differences.

Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well. Managers and staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the children and their needs. They work closely with parents and other professionals.

This helps them to find the best ways to help individual children to catch up to their peers.Staff carefully consider how to best support those children in receipt of funding for early education. They have increased the maths resources to help children learn to count, match and sort.

Parents comment about how they have seen the positive impact this is having on their children.Although children go in the garden regularly, staff are not making the best of opportunities to motivate children to explore, play and learn outside. That said, they do make good use of the space in the hall to help children develop coordination and to be physically active on a larger scale.

Children listen attentively to stories and join in with familiar songs. They enjoy puppet shows which capture their interest and provide opportunities to learn about how to manage their feelings and behaviour. These experiences help to prepare children in readiness for their move on to school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and managers regularly ask questions and offer scenarios to check staffs' understanding of how to keep children safe. This helps staff to be confident to manage and deal appropriately with any concerns that they identify or allegations they receive in a timely way.

They have clear understanding and carry out procedures effectively to protect children from harm. Children who are vulnerable and/or disadvantaged are fully supported through the close partnerships staff have with their families, carers and professionals from other agencies.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the opportunities for quieter children to develop their confidence and speak out during group activities make better use of the outdoor environment to fully support children's learning and development.