Our Dearne family centre staff are celebrating after achieving a “Good” rating from Ofsted, following their childcare inspection in March.
The report highlights that both children and their families are made to feel extremely welcome in our highly inclusive family centre, with staff prioritising children’s development and wellbeing.
It saw the centre’s childcare maintain its ‘good’ rating at their last inspection in 2018.
Highlights of the report are as follows:
The provision is good
Inspectors found that children and families feel extremely welcome at this friendly and highly inclusive family centre. Leaders and staff are committed to providing a nurturing environment and a sense of belonging for all children in their care.
Staff at the centre prioritise children's wellbeing. They do everything possible to seek out any extra support that children may need. This helps to ensure that all children make good progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Parents regularly join their children to stay and play at the start of sessions. This helps to establish strong partnership working with families and build a strong bond. Children are delighted to show parents what they enjoy doing, demonstrating a wide range of activities and interactions. Parents feel fully involved with their children's education.
Children in the centre are encouraged to be independent to help their future learning. For example, staff encourage children to put on their own waterproofs before going outdoors to explore the garden. Staff praise children as they “have a go”, with children persisting until they succeed.
What the early years setting does well
Leaders and managers are passionate about providing a wide range of support for children and families. The hub in which the setting is based, links families to a wealth of advice and practical help to support families and help them thrive. There are strong partnerships with other professionals, including health visitors and speech and language therapists. This helps to ensure that children's development is a top priority for all.
Staff get to know children and their families very well. They carry out home visits before children come to the setting. Children gradually stay for longer periods and parents leave them to learn and play. This thoughtful approach to settling in helps children to become confident and develop a positive attitude to their learning from the beginning. The move onto school is also very well supported.
Leadership and supporting staff wellbeing
Leaders are exceptionally keen to support staff wellbeing and professional development. Regular supervision sessions help to make sure that staff can share any concerns they may have. Staff say that managers doors are 'always open'. Leaders and managers also have access to a very strong support team around them.
Carly Speechley, Executive Director for Children’s Services, said: “This rating is a fantastic achievement for our Family Centre and is testament to the dedication and hard work our staff show every day.
“We want every child and young person to flourish and thrive in Barnsley, the place of possibilities, and this latest inspection reflects how children are being given a good starting point in their developmental journey.
“I want to sincerely thank all of the staff for the exemplary levels of service they provide to enable children to learn and develop in a welcoming environment.”
The full Ofsted report can be found here https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50244304
