OFSTED: GOOD

Nicola Rostron

 

As you are all aware, Nicola is our Communication Champion. Nicola is counted in numbers; for example, if Nicola is the 3rd member in Little Explorers, she will take a group out into the Cosy Hub and solely focus on communication and language. Nicola is going to be using the Cosy Hub for her sessions so that the children benefit from all the wonderful things she will do.

Nicola's role as a Communication Champion plays a vital part in a children's nursery by promoting strong language development and ensuring every child has the opportunity to express themselves confidently and effectively. Early communication skills are the foundation for learning, social interaction, and emotional wellbeing. A dedicated Communication Champion ensures that staff are trained in best practices, identifies children who may need extra support, and works closely with families to create a language-rich environment. Their presence helps foster inclusive communication strategies that support every child’s unique developmental needs, ultimately laying the groundwork for future educational success. Nicola will spend her working hours in various rooms supporting children and staff with her communication skills.

Why this role is so important:

🌱 1. Promotes Early Language Development

  • Early years are a critical period for speech and language growth — most of a child’s communication foundation develops before age 5.
  • A communication champion ensures that all staff understand how to create a language-rich environment, using talk, songs, stories, and play to build vocabulary and social interaction skills.

🧩 2. Supports Early Identification of Needs

  • Communication champions are often trained to spot early signs of speech, language, and communication difficulties. (SLCN)
  • Early identification allows for timely intervention, which can significantly improve long-term outcomes for children.

👩‍🏫 3. Builds Staff Confidence and Skills

  • They act as a lead practitioner or mentor, providing guidance, resources, and training to colleagues.
  • This ensures that communication-supportive strategies (like modelling language, using visual aids, or extending children’s utterances) are consistently applied across the setting.

🧠 4. Creates a Communication-Friendly Environment

  • A communication champion helps design spaces that encourage talk — e.g., cosy reading corners, small group areas, and visual cues.
  • They also ensure that routines and activities promote two-way interactions rather than one-way instruction.

🤝 5. Engages Families and Carers

  • They bridge the gap between home and setting by sharing tips, resources, and strategies parents can use at home.
  • This partnership helps ensure consistent support for a child’s communication across all environments.

🔍 6. Promotes Whole-Setting Development

  • The communication champion embeds speech, language, and communication (SLC) into the setting’s policies, planning, and assessment.
  • They often liaise with external professionals (e.g., speech and language therapists) to coordinate support and access further training.

🌟 7. Improves Long-Term Outcomes

  • Research consistently shows that good early communication skills are linked to:
    • Better literacy and academic success
    • Stronger social and emotional development
    • Improved confidence and well-being

By leading this focus, communication champions help lay the foundation for lifelong learning and positive relationships. Nicola has received training with ASQ and Number Journey; we want to make sure that all our children have a positive role model and the best start in their nursery journeys. If you have any concerns over a child’s communication and language, then please don’t hesitate to ask Nicola, so the arrangements for that child can be put in place.

 

Here are some of the comments Ofsted made about Wells House Kindergarten in their latest report

  • The experienced and long standing management team are committed and passionate. They have high aspirations for the quality of the nursery. The management team regularly create clear targets to help them improve further.

  • Since the last inspection, they have forged links with local primary schools and nurseries and together they share good practice.

  • The environment is highly stimulating. Each area is carefully planned to capture children’s interests and to support their development. For example, older children benefit from a vast range of activities and interesting resources aimed specifically at supporting their literacy skills.

  • A wealth of information is exchanged between staff and parent’s. Staff offer well targeted support for parent’s to extend children’s learning at home. For example, parents are offered activities and professional advice, such as tips on promoting children’s speech. This contributes to the good progress that children make.

  • Staff provide a consistent approach to promoting children’s positive behaviour. For instance, staff working with very young children use picture cards to communicate positive messages, such as kind hands. Older children help to create the rules which are displayed in their room. All children’s behaviour is good in relation to their age.

  • Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. This is underpinned by effective policies. Consequently, children's safety and well-being is supported

  •   The management team demonstrates a strong commitment to promoting high-quality childcare  

  •   Regular training opportunities undertaken by staff ensure qualification levels are high and they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to provide quality care and learning. This has had a positive impact on the learning experiences offered to children, particularly babies