Abacus Pre-School Nursery Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders organise arrival and collection times so that staff can welcome each child individually. This provides time for parents to have private discussions with staff. Children happily separate from parents and join in with engaging activities that staff have carefully planned. Staff support transitions from home. They welcome parents into the setting to help children settle. This helps to build trusting, supportive relationships between parents and staff and helps children feel safe and secure. Leaders and staff monitor children's progress and identify gaps in children's learning. They plan a curriculum that provides challenge and builds on what children already know and can do.

Children's behaviour is good. Staff regularly remind them of the rules of the setting. Children listen and respond positively. Staff use sand timers to provide five-minute warnings before any changes in the session. This helps children to understand the passing of time and what to expect next. Staff provide children with additional support when this is needed. They plan focused one-to-one and small-group sessions to support turn-taking and sharing skills. Staff calmly support children to learn how to begin to name and regulate their emotions. They talk to children about being kind to their friends and help them learn right from wrong.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• All children make good progress in this inclusive setting. All staff know the targets on children's individual education plans and work as a team to help children achieve them. For example, staff use the same familiar sentences during play and routine times. Children learn and repeat these sentences to express their needs. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities describe how staff proactively work with other professionals to ensure that children receive the support they need.
• Communication and language are key focus areas for leaders. Staff have completed specialist speech and language training. They understand the importance of modelling language, along with repetition in conversation, rhymes and stories. They use visual images and sign language to support children with communication and language delay. They introduce new vocabulary and ask thought-provoking questions.
• Leaders and staff support children who speak English as an additional language. They speak to parents to learn key words, phrases and songs in children's home language. Parents also share their cultural traditions, and staff incorporate these within their planning.
• Leaders have a clear direction within their curriculum for the provision of children's physical development. Staff promote children's large- and small-muscle development. A range of resources are freely accessible to promote children's fine motor skills. Children run around the school playground with their friends. They explore the autumn leaves and practise their throwing and catching skills. Furthermore, children join in with weekly physical education sessions in the school hall, where they enjoy music and movement and explore travelling over and under apparatus. This supports children's transition to school as they become familiar with the school environment.
• Staff promote children's confidence. Children take turns to be the leader for the day. They proudly announce tidy-up time and lead the line out to playtime. Staff provide some opportunities for children to develop their independence. Children practise their dressing skills as they dress up as their favourite characters and put on their own coats. However, leaders have not identified where parts of the daily routine do not maximise opportunities for children to extend their self-help skills, particularly during snack and mealtimes.
• Parents say how incredibly happy their children are at the setting. They describe staff as friendly and approachable, providing time, support and guidance for them and their children. Leaders have not identified where parent partnerships can be extended further to gather information about children's achievements at home.
• Leaders are passionate about their provision and continually look for ways to improve. They complete regular supervision of staff to ensure their ongoing suitability. They identify areas of development and invest in specific training to improve outcomes for children. They have plans to seek parents' opinions to discover their preferred communication methods.
• Within the curriculum, leaders have identified a phased approach to support children's behaviour. Younger children learn simple rules, such as 'we are kind, we play together, we take turns'. Staff encourage children to talk about emotions and use pebbles to help children explore what makes them happy and sad.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and enhance daily routines to increase opportunities for children to complete everyday tasks for themselves
• explore more ways for parents to share children's home learning and use this information to support assessments and inform future planning.