Shildon Early Years

Shildon Early Years

Unique reference number (URN): EY319462 Address: Children's Centre, Byerley Road, Shildon, County Durham, DL4 1HN Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 07/03/2006 Registers: EYR Registered person: Durham County Council

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders act swiftly when children are at risk of falling behind. They identify children's precise needs and respond with commitment and care. This helps children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those known to social care and those facing barriers to their learning or wellbeing to thrive. Staff work closely with families to build a detailed understanding of children's current and prior experiences. They use this insight to shape provision that builds on strengths and secures full participation in nursery life.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children with SEND achieve ambitious, personalised targets through sharply focused teaching and regular reviews. Staff identify precise learning targets in partnership with parents and professionals. They adapt provision to ensure every child gets the right support at the right time. For example, they introduce visual supports, sensory resources and flexible routines that enable children to access learning. This reflective, responsive approach is securely embedded and ensures all children's needs are met consistently. Leaders use additional funding with care and evaluate its impact rigorously. Some children enjoy enriching experiences they might not otherwise access, such as visits to a pantomime. Others benefit from specific resources to support learning. These decisions are rooted in what matters most for each child. Children in receipt of funding make rapid, secure progress, far beyond their starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make steady progress across all areas of learning as a result of a well-designed curriculum and effective teaching. Younger children grow in confidence as they explore and play with staff and alongside others. They learn to share, take turns and begin to count and sort objects in play. Older children build on this foundation through lots of opportunity to practise their skills and deepen their learning. Many children progress well in their speaking skills and become confident communicators because staff prioritise talk in daily routines and play, encouraging children to share their ideas. For example, they pretend to be nurses, using imaginative language to comfort staff and explain how they will make them feel better. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve very well. Staff adapt teaching and celebrate every meaningful step of learning. This approach helps children to

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Achievement Expected standard

develop skills and knowledge that prepare them well for later learning.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Leaders and staff take time to understand each child's circumstances and needs. This helps them to tailor care routines and interactions so that children feel safe and valued. Staff notice when children need extra reassurance or support and adapt their approach to help each child feel secure and included. Children form attachments with familiar staff and show trust in those who care for them. Staff talk about emotions, for example, during stories. They encourage children to think about why the bear in a story might be feeling sad. These conversations help children to understand and name their feelings.

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Children's welfare and well-being Expected standard

Children play and learn in a safe, welcoming environment with daily access to outdoor spaces. They enjoy being outside in all weathers, where they build physical confidence, take manageable risks and develop social skills. Mealtimes are calm and sociable. Children share experiences from home and enjoy relaxed conversations with staff, who share their own stories to strengthen children's sense of belonging. Staff promote healthy choices through everyday routines. Children brush their teeth daily and talk about food that helps them grow, for example, when they eagerly add vegetables to their lunch plate. Care routines help to assure children's well-being. For example, staff supervise children closely while eating and sleeping.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders set clear aims for the curriculum, which focuses on preparing children well for school. Staff use assessment to identify learning priorities and adapt teaching to each child's needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders know that many children have low levels of language on entry. Staff provide plentiful opportunities for children to hear and use new words. For example, they sing songs, recite rhymes and hold conversations during play. At story time, staff use props to capture children's attention and keep them engaged. Children are clearly familiar with stories, which feature regularly in nursery life.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff provide a broad curriculum. They introduce mathematical ideas through everyday play. Children count bricks when building, compare the size of containers in the water tray and talk about shapes they notice. The inviting outdoor environment is carefully designed to promote physical development and exploration, where children climb, swing and balance. Activities such as building with small bricks or using hammers and nails develop dexterity in their hands. Staff encourage children to take turns and help their friends, which supports their developing social skills. The curriculum for understanding the world focuses mainly on the local area and traditions. While this helps children connect with their community, it does not yet broaden their knowledge of life beyond their immediate experiences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The new management team has identified key strengths and priorities for building practice. A current focus on staff wellbeing reflects their understanding of the importance of stability and support during change. The provider ensures leaders are well supported. This helps them make confident decisions to drive improvement and maintain high standards across the nursery. Staff morale is high. They describe feeling valued, listened to and supported. This contributes to the positive, fun-filled atmosphere in the nursery.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders act thoughtfully, keeping children's interests at the heart of decisions. Particular attention is given to those facing disadvantage or needing additional support. Professional development is ongoing and shaped by identified priorities. For example, targeted training around language development has strengthened staff confidence. As a result, children make rapid progress in this area.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnership working is effective. Leaders act swiftly to secure external expertise to meet children's diverse needs. Relationships and communication with families are a strength. Parents comment on how well staff know their children and work with them towards the best outcomes. Staff invite families to stay-and-play sessions and outings, such as allotment visits. They provide a lending library to support shared reading at home. These relationships strengthen children's learning and sense of belonging.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders recognise that some children need more support to express their feelings and show positive behaviours, and have begun to explore ways to strengthen this. They acknowledge that this work is at an early stage and are continuing to develop more effective approaches. As a result, the support is not yet having an impact. While expectations for children's behaviour are appropriate, staff do not consistently provide the boundaries and guidance children need to meet these expectations. Staff have introduced some routines, such as self-registration time, that are not yet fully embedded. Staff do not always organise these in ways that help children feel calm, settled and ready to learn. When children arrive or move between activities, some become restless and distract others. When noise levels rise, staff remind children of expectations but do not consistently model calmer, more positive behaviours. As a result, children are not always helped to manage their feelings and sustain

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff build warm, responsive relationships with children. Children get along well with others and invite their friends into their play. Leaders promote regular attendance. They encourage parents to get children to nursery on time, in readiness for being punctual when they start school.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children arrive happily into a warm, welcoming environment, where staff bring enthusiasm and joy to each day. They embrace the wide range of experiences that children and families bring, working hard to make sure everyone feels part of nursery life. Children quickly build friendships and learn alongside one another. Leaders value outdoor education and have invested in the garden spaces to ensure they support all children's learning. Children play outside in all weathers. They laugh with their friends while jumping in muddy puddles. Staff provide sheltered, quiet spaces for those children who feel overwhelmed or prefer a smaller space to explore, helping every child to feel safe and included. Staff shape learning around what matters most for each child. They carefully plan activities that both focus on what they want children to achieve and appeal to children's interests. This helps to ensure that teaching is effective and contributes to children's ongoing progress across all areas of

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

learning. Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a particular strength in this nursery. Adaptations are skilfully embedded so that children participate fully and make secure progress.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

There is a clear focus on helping children to become independent, confident and capable. Staff encourage them to put on their own coats and serve themselves at mealtimes. Children show pride when they manage these tasks. Staff are committed to helping every child to flourish. Children are keen learners, who develop new skills quickly. Children, overall, enjoy their learning and, at times, become engrossed in their play. For example, they concentrate hard while mixing herbs and spices in the 'mud kitchen' or pouring water between containers with care. These moments show the positive attitudes children can demonstrate, when activities spark their curiosity. However, when staff vary in their approach to supporting behaviour, or when activities are not well organised or clearly presented, some children lose focus or drift from tasks. This interrupts their learning and limits the impact of otherwise well-planned experiences.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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Address:

Children's Centre Byerley Road Shildon County Durham DL4 1HN

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Durham County Council

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:00

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders and staff, including the special educational needs coordinator, and to a number of parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standards expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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