Sunlands Kindergarten

Inspection of Sunlands Kindergarten Gannicox House, 57 Cainscross Road, Stroud GL5 4EX

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children enter the setting to gentle voices, friendly comfort and soft lighting. This ensures that there is a relaxed and calm atmosphere, which supports children's emotional well-being and helps them to feel safe and secure. Staff form strong attachments with children, which promotes their well-being and independence. Children are highly valued as individuals at this setting.

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The provision is good

The setting's curriculum provides children with a rich and diverse range of learning experiences that follow the changing rhythms of the seasons. Children demonstrate that they know and understand about seasonal change in nature. For example, children grow their own fruit and vegetables and take part in daily cooking activities. As they dig in the garden, they explain, 'We must remove the weeds to let the vegetables grow.' They learn about all aspects of cooking, including kitchen safety, healthy eating and tidying up. Children join staff as they enter the setting and immediately immerse themselves in a cooking task. They combine and rub ingredients together, strengthening their finger muscles, to make an apple crumble. Staff explain they need to have the right consistency to make the best crumble. Later, the children, staff and visitors sit together and share the food they have made. Children remember what ingredients they have used: 'a dash of cinnamon,

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The provision is good

some oats, flour, butter and just a tiny bit of sugar', as they carefully pass around bowls of food.

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need to do better?

n Children behave well. They remember to say 'please' and 'thank you', and staff are good role models for being kind, respectful and gentle with each other. However, when children occasionally forget to follow rules, for example running inside or chasing the chickens, staff call out to the children but do not explain why they should listen or stop. This means children do not always understand the consequences of their actions. n The setting aims to connect children with the world around them. Children learn about different faiths, cultures and festivals from around the world, for example celebrating Michaelmas, by baking dragon bread and welcoming the beginning of autumn. They learn about Diwali and the festival of light, and staff teach children about the colder, darker evenings drawing in through the lantern festival. These festivals and celebrations form part of the curriculum planning to help children gain a greater awareness of the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Children are beginning to talk about themselves in a positive way and recognise many of the similarities and differences that exist between them. However, staff do not always name feelings and emotions when children are playing. This means children are not always supported to gain the vocabulary to express how they feel.

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need to do better?

13 September 2024 n Staff use storytelling to inspire creativity and imagination. Children sit and listen avidly as the story unfolds. Staff use scarves, shells and puppets to ignite their curiosity. Quieter children have time to make their meaning clear and develop the confidence to speak in a large group. Staff and children frequently gather to sing. This expands their vocabulary and teaches them about creative language and rhyme. Staff are very effective at supporting children's communication and language development. n Staff are reflective of their practice and are constantly looking at what is going well and discuss areas for improvement to benefit the children. Weekly team meetings provide staff with opportunities to identify any areas for development they may want to work on and discuss their well-being. During these meetings, staff discuss individual children's learning and ensure that they have a clear

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need to do better?

understanding of the learning intentions in their curriculum. n There are very strong partnerships with parents at this setting. Staff collect detailed information about children's learning from parents prior to children starting and during their time at the setting. Children's development is regularly shared with parents along with next steps in learning. Parents are fully involved in their child's learning. Parents are highly complimentary about this setting. n Following observation and discussion, staff have adapted the daily routine and rhythm of the day in response to children's physical and emotional needs. Children spend a considerable part of their day outdoors in the fresh air, where they develop their social and physical skills. Staff present physical challenges to all children to promote their large-muscle skills and encourage them to take managed risks. This provides children with a sense of accomplishment and self-

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n support staff to give consistently clear messages so that children know and understand the expectations for their behaviour and receive simple explanations about the consequences of their actions n further help children to share how they are feeling so they learn the language of emotions and understand the emotions of others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY540224 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10351269 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 21 Number of children on roll 21 Name of registered person St Luke's Trust Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07963429530 Date of previous inspection 18 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Sunlands Kindergarten re-registered in 2016. The setting follows the Steiner Waldorf approach. It is open Monday to Thursday from 8.45am to 3pm, and Friday from 8.45am to 12.45pm, term time only. The manager is a qualified Steiner Waldorf kindergarten teacher. Four members of staff are qualified Steiner school teachers, one is working towards this qualification and there are two regular volunteers. The kindergarten has been granted full exemption by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency in respect of early learning goals in the communication, language and literacy area of learning in relation to linking sounds and letters, and aspects of reading and writing. Partial exemption has been granted in relation to information and communication technology in the area of knowledge and understanding of the world. The setting receives funding for the provision of early education for children aged three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector carried out a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the deputy manager. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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 2024 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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