Lindens Early Years

Inspection of Lindens Early Years The Lindens, Lower Street, Stroud GL5 2HT

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children arrive with excitement and confidence, ready for their day. Staff welcome families with their kind, nurturing manner. They give parents time for discussion and the exchange of information to help to ensure that children are well supported during their day. All children, even those who have very recently started at the kindergarten, settle with ease. Parents leave happy knowing that their children are safe and secure and their needs are being met.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff have worked hard to improve since the previous inspection. They plan and implement an ambitious curriculum that follows the Steiner ethos, while building on what children already know and need to learn next. Younger children develop their imaginative skills when they catch 'fish' in the 'sea'. Staff facilitate learning by offering children a basket for their 'fish'. They ask children if they need 'water'. Children fetch a blue silk cloth and say 'here is some water fishes'. Staff and children engage in exciting, purposeful play together. Older children recall what they have already learned when they create a puppet show about princesses. Children develop their own narrative and share ideas to make an exciting show that they intently engage with for extended periods. Children develop deep imaginative skills and confidence to express themselves.

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The provision is good

Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Children strengthen their small hand muscles for early writing skills, for example, when they manipulate dough with their hands. In the garden, children climb trees and ropes and dig holes in the large sandpit. Children become physically confident.

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need to do better?

n Children develop independence from an early age. Leaders have made changes to the daily routine to allow children time to develop their self-care skills. Young children remove their own slippers, put on their shoes and fetch their belongings at the end of their session. Staff are close by to provide support where needed. Older children set the table for snack, tend to their toileting needs, and confidently make choices in their play. Children learn the importance of being independent. n Leaders and staff assess children regularly to enable them to identify any gaps in learning. Leaders make referrals to outside agencies to ensure that children get the support they need. Staff use 'focus weeks' to gain a deeper insight into children's learning and development. They use the information that they find to develop children's next steps in learning and inform their planning. Leaders invite parents to share children's learning from home and have regular

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need to do better?

discussions with key persons about what their children are learning at kindergarten. Children make good progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

13 September 2023 n Children generally display good behaviour. When younger children notice that a friend is playing alone, they join them and excitedly engage in building the rainbow blocks together. In the garden, older children hold hands and skip while they sing happily. However, at times, younger children take toys from others and they become upset. When staff intervene, they do not always support children to return the toys to their friends, nor do they explain why this is behaviour is inappropriate. This results in some children not always understanding that their actions may have an impact on others. n Leaders and staff have excellent partnerships with parents. Many parents share their positive views of the kindergarten. They say that the staff are very kind and approachable and their children love attending. Leaders regularly invite parents into the kindergarten to join celebrations of festivals, have picnics for

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need to do better?

new parents to meet, and parents' evening to discuss their children's learning. Leaders value parents' input and they are well supported. n Staff are good role models for the children. They speak to children respectfully and engage them in meaningful discussions. At snack time, children share their experiences from home, such as when they discuss what they had for breakfast and their favourite foods. However, at times, not all staff identify ways to develop children's thinking skills. For example, in the garden, despite children sharing their mermaid chalk drawings with staff and discussing where mermaids live and that they eat 'anemones', staff do not engage fully, which results in some children losing interest.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have regular safeguarding training and understand the importance of their role to help to keep children safe. They are aware of the signs and symptoms that may be indicators that a child is at risk of harm and the procedures to follow to report any concerns. Staff know how to escalate concerns to outside agencies should they need to. They are aware of how to report a concern regarding a colleague's conduct if required. The leaders have undertaken safer recruitment training and follow a robust recruitment procedure to help to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n support staff to consistently manage children's behaviour effectively and help children to understand the impact that their actions may have on others n enhance staff's use of questions so that children have time to think and respond, to extend their thinking even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2609702 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10288681 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person The Lindens Early Years CIC

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reference number

Telephone number 01453762526 Date of previous inspection 27 March 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Lindens Early Years registered in December 2020. It is based in Stroud. The setting offers care from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. The kindergarten has five staff, with the lead teacher holding qualified teacher status. All other staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at levels 3 and 4. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The kindergarten follows the Steiner curriculum.

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Inspection activities

n The leaders joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of snack time with the deputy manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the interactions between staff and children, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The leaders shared relevant documentation with the inspector. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing at kindergarten. n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

13 September 2023 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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