Our inspection in 2017, in which we were rated GOOD, made the following recommendations:

• Extend the support for staff through regular professional development opportunities

Now: Staff have free access to an online training provider where they regularly complete courses as requested by  management, or through their own free choice based on their interests and self identified areas they would like to develop further. Some courses recently self chosen by the staff have included supporting disadvantaged families, children's mental health, allergy awareness and autism awareness. 

Staff are encouraged to share their training with the team during team meetings to ensure best practice throughout the setting and action any areas identified within their training. 

Staff also receive constructive feedback from their peers regarding their practice regularly and support each others development. 

• Provide more opportunities for children to develop their thinking skills and share thoughts and ideas

Now: Both the nursery and pre-school moved forward with a new approach to their practice in 2018 by embracing the planning in the moment approach in order to provide plentiful opportunities for children to develop their thinking skills and share their thoughts and ideas. Children are free to choose their own play and activities, with the team sensitvely supporting the children through teachable moments that support and develop the children's learning. This has allowed the children to lead their own learning, engaging in activities and experimenting with their own ideas. 

Building on this, Wonderland has been inspired by the 'curiosity approach' and has been following the scheme in order to become a curiosity approach accredited setting. Open ended resources, loose parts and authentic materials have replaced many of the plastic, closed play equipment. This has encourged the children to use the resources in a variety of ways to extend their thinking skills and imaginations.