The Ashgrove team are highly experienced and committed to the continued growth of Ashgrove and strive to offer the highest standards to all in our care. Staff attend regular training to ensure we are up-to-date in the current teaching approaches and effective strategies used in early years education. 

At Ashgrove we strive to: 
• have a clear understanding of how young children learn and develop in order to extend and enhance their learning;
• try to understand each child’s background and needs and put these before any other aspect of their work in the setting; and
• be flexible and nurture the children’s well-being and self-esteem.

Staff aim to extend children’s play and thinking by:
• introducing new vocabulary and modelling language appropriately;
• using open-ended questions to challenge their thinking;
• listening to the children and giving them time to respond;
• observing them and building on their ideas; and
• giving them praise and encouragement for their efforts.

Successful adult involvement stems from careful observation of play and sensitivity to the needs of the children. It is also important to choose the appropriate time to become involved in the play.

Staff will become involved in the children's play by: 
• interacting naturally with the children;
• responding to an invitation from them;
• commenting on the children’s play;
• playing alongside a child in order to establish a secure relationship;
• joining in to help a child examine an experience more closely or reflect more carefully on what they are doing;
• joining in to extend the play by taking up a child’s imaginative ideas and developing them further;
• taking a problem-solving approach to settle a dispute;
• intervening to suggest possible solutions to a problem before a child reaches frustration level;
• providing advice or assistance;
• providing an extra piece of equipment; and/or
• intervening if children are in danger.