ABC Treehouse

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly arrive at the pre-school. They are excited to notice the Christmas tree. Staff talk to children about what they can see. They introduce new words, such as 'bauble' and 'tinsel', increasing children's vocabulary. Children move safely around the pre-school and choose where they wish to play. They use their imaginations in the role-play area and make up their own games. Children sit together for a sociable snack. They concentrate while peeling a banana and proudly show staff when they have done this by themselves. Children demonstrate good manners when they say 'thank you' to their friends for passing them a piece of fruit. They practise their self-help skills further when, for example, they pour their own drinks.

Children learn about mathematics in a meaningful way. They thoroughly enjoy playing skittles outdoors and count how many skittles they have knocked down. Staff introduce concepts such as 'full' and 'heavy' when children fill up a container in the mud kitchen. Children are fascinated when they spot planes in the sky. Staff capture this interest and encourage children to make marks on a clipboard to keep a tally of how many they see. This supports children's early literacy development as well as promoting their observation skills.

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

• Staff work together as a small, effective team. They know the children extremely well and provide tailored resources to meet children's unique learning and development needs. For example, dolls and potties in the role-play area support those who are currently toilet training.
• Parents provide information about what their children already do and know before they start. This helps staff plan appropriate activities to enable all children to make progress. They routinely assess what children have learned. For instance, staff ask children if they remember the ingredients and the quantities they used to make play dough.
• The provider regularly meets with staff to discuss staff well-being and training needs. However, staff are not informed when their key children are eligible for additional funding. Therefore, they do not contribute their ideas about how best to support children to reach their full potential.
• Staff have many opportunities to attend courses that have a direct impact on the quality of teaching. For example, following training on early literacy, they produced a book of familiar logos. Staff have planned a programme of home visits to raise parents' awareness of the link between print in the environment and children's early reading.
• Staff get down to children's level and pay close attention when children talk to them. Children, therefore, develop a sense of being valued and listened to.
• When necessary, staff repeat back what children say. As a result, children hear the correct pronunciation and sentence structure. This builds on their existing speech and communication skills.
• Staff skilfully engage children in conversations about healthy eating while they play in the pretend kitchen. This helps to develop children's understanding of ways to keep themselves well. Staff introduced 'veg week' for children to experience new tastes and flavours. Some children tried vegetable soup for the first time. Parents reported that children have now asked for this at home.
• Children explore the different ways their bodies can move. Staff challenge them to see who can roll a tyre the furthest. Children stretch and reach up to paint a wall with water. Staff recognise the importance of these activities to build children's core strength in preparation for developing the muscles they need to become confident writers.
• Children are beginning to know more about those who are different to themselves, for example when visitors openly talk to them about their disabilities. However, children have fewer opportunities to learn about their local community and the world around them.
• Parents speak highly of the staff. They appreciate their guidance regarding issues such as dummy and bottle use. Staff have signposted parents to other professionals, including speech and language therapists. Parents have seen huge improvements in their children's development. Staff acknowledge that some families were isolated throughout the pandemic. They ensure parents feel welcomed at the setting and organise regular stay-and-play sessions to build on the already strong parent partnerships.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• involve staff in decisions about how the early years pupil premium funding for their key children is spent to maximise children's learning and development
• provide children with more opportunities to learn about the local community.