Early Years @ Lightcliffe

Inspection of Early Years @ Lightcliffe Christchurch - Lightcliffe Site URC, Leeds Road, Lightcliffe, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 8NU

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children are happy and enjoy attending this setting. Staff know the children well. Children are assigned a key person who carries out a home visit to children before they start. This helps children to become familiar with their key person in their own environment and aids a smooth transition. Key persons use home visits to establish a bond with children and a professional relationship with parents and carers. This also helps to quickly build secure and trusting relationships between children, parents and key persons. Children behave well and follow routines. For instance, they wait patiently for their turn to wash their hands in the bathroom before lunch. Staff are respectful and talk calmly and kindly to children. They ask children before they take them to be changed. Children benefit from staff's role modelling. They develop positive relationships with others.

p.2

The provision is good

Leaders have developed a well-rounded curriculum that is ambitious for all children. They plan flexible and creative topics, such as 'All About Me' and 'Out of this World', to give children opportunities to learn about new events, stories and concepts. Children plant sunflowers, water them and watch them grow as part of their recent 'World Earth Day' topic. Leaders place a high importance on the interactions between staff and children to promote children's learning. Staff know the children very well. They monitor children's learning from the very start. Staff's assessments accurately identify where children need support. When they identify gaps or delays in children's development, staff act swiftly. They implement detailed individualised plans of support. Staff seek support from other professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.2

need to do better?

n Children enjoy the adult-guided group activities on offer. Children of different ages and abilities are keen to participate all at once. However, this makes it difficult for staff to support all children's learning. It also means group times can be quite loud. This sometimes distracts other children who are playing close by, and some children are not engaged in their learning. n Children are curious about nature and living things. They use magnifying glasses to watch a snail that they discover in the garden. Staff encourage children to collect materials, such as twigs and leaves, to add to the 'bug hotel' for insects to live inside. Children learn about the natural world around them. n Support for children's communication development is effective. Staff narrate and model language throughout the day. They implement strategies to promote inclusion. For instance, staff use symbols on lanyards and around the room to

p.2

need to do better?

support children's understanding. All children make good progress in their communication development. n Children are highly engaged in the exciting story sessions. Staff read familiar

p.2

need to do better?

23 April 2025 stories such as 'The Three Little Pigs' in an animated way. Children join in with the story enthusiastically and exclaim, 'Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin.' They develop a love of stories, which promotes their early literacy skills. n Staff patiently teach children key independence skills. Staff teach babies how to use a spoon to feed themselves. They show older children how to put their coat on by laying it on the floor, sliding their hands into the arms and flipping it over their heads. Staff and children giggle together as the coats sometimes fall off. They celebrate together when they succeed. Children develop perseverance and resilience as they keep trying to do things for themselves. n Older children confidently choose where they want to play. They enjoy the freedom to explore indoors and the outdoors, which they access by a small slope. However, babies do not have consistent opportunities to benefit from the

p.2

need to do better?

learning opportunities available outdoors. n Mealtimes are social occasions, and children sit in the designated dining room for lunch. However, the tables and chairs are too high to be comfortable for children. Children have to move around to be comfortable, sometimes elevating themselves by kneeling. This means that opening wrappers requires more effort by children due to the table height. Children are not able to engage fully in the interesting conversations that are taking place or benefit from the social experience of lunchtime. n Partnerships with parents are strong. There is an effective two-way flow of communication, which enhances children's learning at the setting and at home. Parents are positive when speaking about the setting. They credit the setting for helping their children to 'come on leaps and bounds' and would highly recommend it to other parents.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n carefully consider the organisation of group activities to ensure that all children are engaged in their learning n provide consistent opportunities for babies to access the learning opportunities available outdoors n support children to engage fully in all aspects of mealtimes.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 303768 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 10388186 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

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

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 191 Name of registered person Early Years @ Lightcliffe Committee

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 079 3028 9576 AND 01422207830 Date of previous inspection 1 July 2019

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Early Years @ Lightcliffe registered in 1997 and is located in Halifax. The setting employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting opens all year round, from 7.30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday. It offers the government funded places for childcare.

p.4

Inspection activities

n Leaders talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with a leader. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

23 April 2025 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6