The way innovative leaders include committed practitioners and supportive parents in the children’s learning experiences.
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Information about Provider
Cae’r Ffair is a Day Nursery located in the village of Gorslas, Carmarthenshire. It is a Welsh medium nursery providing high quality preschool childcare and education for the last 22 years. The setting offers a warm, nurturing environment where children are supported to develop emotionally, socially and cognitively through high-quality play experiences. Its practice is built on innovative leadership, strong relationships and teamwork, close partnership with families, and meaningful engagement with the wider community. The team are committed to ensuring all children feel valued, secure, and encouraged to explore, discover and grow.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
Under the direction of forward-thinking leadership, the setting has embraced a collaborative and child-centred approach. Leaders prioritise professional development, reflective practice, and strong, trusting relationships across the team. This culture ensures practitioners feel confident and empowered to use their professional judgment and trial new ideas based on the needs and interests of the children.
The collective aim is to provide consistently high-quality experiences that nurture children’s development. Close cooperation with parents and the local community strengthens this approach, creating a shared sense of purpose and belonging.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
This includes introducing new approaches to child development and play-based learning, and strengthening consistency across units through shared routines, values, and collaborative planning. Leaders also provide targeted professional development to build practitioners confidence, knowledge and skills, while fostering an inclusive atmosphere where children feel safe, supported and encouraged to thrive. Practitioners are central to this vision, using strong key-person relationships and reflective practice to ensure provision is meaningful and responsive. They collaborate across units within the nursery, to maintain high standards, adapt the learning environment and share effective ideas.
The setting maintains strong, meaningful connections with the local community, including partnerships with local schools, Gorslas Welfare, charities, emergency services, care homes and community groups. Through shared events, outings, and collaborative projects, children not only explore real-life environments but also develop practical skills, social confidence and a deep sense of belonging. This enhances their understanding of the world and enriches their learning experiences.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
The combined approach of innovative leadership, skilled practitioners, supportive parental involvement, and strong community links has significantly enhanced the quality of provision across the setting. As a result, children benefit from an emotionally secure and stimulating environment, where their curiosity and engagement are nurtured. Practitioners feel trusted, valued and motivated, which is reflected in high-quality interactions and thoughtful, responsive practice.
Children develop confidence, resilience, curiosity and independence through well-planned and engaging experiences, while families report feeling included and respected, ensuring consistent support between home and the setting. Community involvement further enriches children’s learning, fostering empathy, awareness and a sense of social responsibility. Overall, children demonstrate a strong sense of well-being and are eager to explore, engage and learn.
How have you shared your good practice?
The setting shares its effective practice regularly with parents, community partners and local organisations. Through ongoing communication, events and involvement in community activities, practitioners highlight the benefits of their collaborative and child-centred approach. The setting has also shared its excellent practice at an event organised by the Local Authority, which focused on effective practice across the Early Years sector in settings and schools throughout Carmarthenshire. This provided an opportunity to showcase the positive impact of its approaches to a wider professional audience. Partnerships with local services and schools further support the dissemination of good practice and help strengthen continuity for children as they move on to the next stage of their education.