Shira Daycare

Communication and individual support were the strongest threads at Shira Daycare's November 2022 inspection: Ofsted rated it Good, judged safeguarding effective and identified support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities as a strength.

The Gateshead nursery has capacity for 50 children. In November 2022, the children attending were aged 0 to 3; that age range describes the children present at the time.

In November 2022, a rooftop garden and outdoor areas for different ages gave children opportunities to climb, run and ride tricycles. Indoors, babies had floor space for rolling, while furniture supported those beginning to move towards walking. The environment accommodated different stages of physical development.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. In November 2022, practical activities included transferring coloured rice between containers and shaping dough, giving children practice with the hand movements needed for writing. Signing helped children communicate with one another, while visual timetables made the sequence of the day easier to understand.

Teaching needed greater consistency. In November 2022, efforts to extend children's vocabulary were not embedded across the team, and work on equality and diversity needed to go beyond separate topics to explore similarities and differences more deeply.

In November 2022, the special educational needs coordinator identified support needs, helped practitioners adapt learning and reviewed intervention plans. A sensory room, private play therapists and physiotherapists formed part of personalised support, alongside help with speech and language delay. Videos sent home included examples from play therapy, giving parents a view of their child's experiences.

Health routines also featured in November 2022: children learnt about toothbrushing, and free-flow cups supported dental care. Snack-time boundaries were less consistent. Staff did not always explain the danger of moving around while eating, making clear, shared expectations an important improvement priority.

Shira Daycare's address is Department of Social Services, Carlisle House, 2-4 Cambridge Terrace, Gateshead, NE8 1RP.

In November 2022, attendance ran Monday to Friday during term time, with session times of 9am to 4.30pm. Funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-olds at that time. These arrangements belong to that dated inspection snapshot.

• Language and diversity. November 2022 improvement priorities covered richer vocabulary and deeper teaching about similarities and differences. These matter for everyday conversation and children's understanding of other people.
• Snack-time practice. Consistent explanations about safe eating were a November 2022 improvement priority. How are practitioners reinforcing those boundaries now?
• Attendance fit. The November 2022 pattern was term-time attendance with daytime sessions. Which current attendance and funding arrangements would fit your family's needs?

Shira Daycare merits consideration for families who value communication support and individual adaptations to learning. Its November 2022 picture combined signing, visual routines and specialist support with practical indoor and outdoor activity. Families weighing that picture should also give proper weight to the teaching and snack-time improvements identified then.