Abertots Play

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to attend and enjoy their time at this friendly pre-school. The staff are kind and caring, and they support children to settle in effectively. This supports all children to build attachments and feel safe and secure. Staff understand the importance of gathering information from parents at the start. They find out what children can do and their changing interests. This helps staff to plan an ambitious and inclusive curriculum that supports all children to make good progress. This includes children who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff create a supporting and creative environment that promotes independence. Children make choices and show a positive attitude to their learning. They try new activities and receive praise for their achievements. This raises children's self-esteem. For example, children construct with blocks, use tools to create flowers from dough, cut using scissors and mark make with chalk and crayons. Staff are skilled at adapting activities and involve children with SEND in all aspects of pre-school life.

Staff role model expected behaviour. They encourage good manners and sign for children to aid their understanding. Children know the routine well. They share resources, help with tasks and behave well.

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

• Leaders and staff work together to plan a curriculum that provides challenge and meets individual needs. Staff use observations, progress checks and ongoing assessments to track children's progress. They swiftly identify any gaps in learning and development and make referrals alongside parents to help receive additional support. This ensures that all children benefit from their early learning experiences and build on their foundations.
• Staff actively promote children's communication and language skills well. They engage children in conversations and listen to their views. Staff ask meaningful questions and initiate discussions. They repeat sounds and use signs and single words for children with SEND and support all children to learn new vocabulary and extend their sentences through singing and stories.
• Children benefit from the diverse and inclusive practice the pre-school staff provide. They support children and parents with additional home languages alongside learning English. Children celebrate different cultural and religious festivals and learn about their wider community. Staff teach children about their own uniqueness and extend their understanding of others.
• Staff enhance children's physical skills and mental well-being. Children enjoy using the garden to watch trees blow in the wind, plant fruit and vegetables and learn about nature. Staff encourage physical activity as children climb and use hoops and rockers to develop their balance and coordination. Staff plan activities to develop children's fine motor skills, such as using tools and finger gym equipment. These develop small muscles to prepare them for future writing.
• Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles and nutritious foods. Staff promote independence at snack times and engage children in conversations. Children self-select and clear away their plates. They enjoy fruit and vegetables and drink water. They follow good hygiene routines and learn about the importance of oral health.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are well established. Parents state their children are happy to attend, have settled well and are making good progress, especially with their communication and language. Staff liaise with parents and share progress reports and next steps. However, they do not consistently update parents on the planned curriculum or share ideas to continue learning at home.
• Staff weave mathematics through activities as children play. Children count as they build and learn the names of shapes and about sizes. Staff extend children's imaginations as they use equipment and make pancakes for their friends. Children share resources and take turns. Staff provide gentle reminders when needed and talk to children about feelings.
• Leaders have robust recruitment procedures in place and ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. All staff receive regular supervision and access continued professional development to increase their knowledge. Leaders and staff reflect on activities and children's progress to evaluate their practice. However, they do not seek views from parents to help make further improvements to the provision for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen communication with parents to share the curriculum and ideas to support learning at home
• seek views from parents to help evaluate and make further improvements.