Early learning and childcare quality indicators: Staff skills, knowledge, values and deployment

'Very good' skills, knowledge and values

We have a clear understanding of how children learn and develop, having high aspirations for children’s achievements. We make very good use of professional development opportunities that link directly to enhanced outcomes for children, their individual learning needs and our improvement plan. Research, best practice, national and local policy, underpinning legislation, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Health and Social Care Standards are used in this process.

A wide range of opportunities are available for staff to hold professional discussions and we use these to inform practice. We are highly reflective and we engage in these work-based discussions to build individual and team knowledge and effectiveness. We maintain meaningful records of the impact of our learning and development and have a clear learning action plan.

Highly effective supervision enables us to be clear about our responsibilities. Celebrating success and learning from mistakes is an integral part of our ethos, leading to a culture of openness where we feel proud to work in our setting and safe to discuss practice when errors occur. Shared values guide our work and result in positive outcomes for children. Where required, staff maintain registration with a professional body and follow the codes of practice effectively.

'Weak' skills, knowledge and values

The quality of outcomes and experiences for children and families is negatively impacted as we fail to, or are not enabled to, engage in professional learning to improve our practice.

Where learning needs are identified, these are not fully taken forward. This results in gaps in our professional knowledge and skills, which impacts negatively on the quality of children’s experiences.

Where staff do have appropriate knowledge, this is not shared effectively across the team. There is an absence of professional discussion to support each other’s development and learning. As a result, children do not benefit from shared knowledge and skills within the team.

We do not fully understand our responsibility to maintain professional registration. Where registration with professional bodies is required, this is incomplete or may have lapsed. Staff may not take sufficient account of the codes of practice in their work. This adversely impacts the quality of children’s experiences, increases risk and reduces trust in the service we provide.

'Very good' staff deployment

Leaders are open and honest about decisions on staffing. They make highly effective use of the diverse experience, knowledge and skills of the staff group to ensure children experience safe and responsive learning and care.

Arrangements are in place to promote continuity of care across the day, week and throughout children’s ELC experience, ensuring positive transitions and communication with families. To ensure this is consistent, breaks are planned to minimise impact on children while enabling staff to rest and be refreshed.

Staff communicate well, are flexible and support each other. We work as a team to ensure deployment is effective in ensuring high-quality experiences and outcomes for children. Approaches to staff deployment ensure new or inexperienced staff have the appropriate level of support from experienced colleagues. This allows us to share skills and knowledge across the team and to feel confident that we are working well together.

Arrangements for absence, both planned and unplanned, support minimum disruption to children’s routines. Children are prepared in advance for their key worker’s absence, wherever possible.

'Weak' staff deployment

We do not feel able to raise issues or concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children as a result of decisions about staff deployment. We do not take responsibility to highlight any gaps in staffing and opportunities to improve are missed.

Communication and team working between us is limited, leading to gaps in interactions and supervision of children across the day. Our lack of flexibility and support across the staff team significantly compromises the quality of experiences and outcomes for children. We lack confidence to talk about mistakes, which has the potential to lead to harm to children.

Arrangements for busier times of the day are ineffective in ensuring that we can fully meet children’s needs. Activities become task orientated rather than an opportunity for high-quality engagement and interaction. We do not always receive sufficient breaks or take breaks at a time when higher levels of supervision are required, such as mealtimes.

Children’s routines and experiences are disrupted as arrangements for planned absence are poorly managed. Children and families are not always advised when staff will be absent and are not prepared for, or introduced to, temporary staff.

The following challenge questions can support your self-evaluation:

• How do we use self-evaluation to ensure that staff have the appropriate knowledge and skills to support children to be the best that they can be?

• How well does professional learning impact positively on outcomes for children and in what ways?

• How do we build on individual skills and interests which lead to improvements for children?

• How do we engage and encourage leadership at all levels?

• In what ways are we maximising opportunities for staff to work and learn together?

• What approaches do we take to tasks to ensure children are supported across the whole day?

• How does staff deployment meet the individual care and support needs of all children throughout the session?

• How do we promote a positive staff ethos and support staff wellbeing?

• How do we know staff enjoy working here and feel involved and part of an effective team?

• How do we consider staff wellbeing to ensure we provide safe and high-quality care and the best outcomes for children?