Alconbury Community Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily arrive at the pre-school, keen to start their day. They confidently separate from their parents, demonstrating they feel safe and secure in the environment. Caring and nurturing staff know the children and their families well. They build close bonds and attachments with their key children and subsequently, children feel emotionally safe and are eager to learn. Children are happy, confident and settled.

The curriculum is well designed to support children's interests and builds on what they know and can do. Staff focus on what they know about children to create a rich variety of activities and experiences, both inside and outside. For example, children develop fine motor skills as they use pipettes to squeeze vinegar onto bicarbonate of soda. They delight as they watch and describe the reactions they see. Staff model appropriate language and ask open-ended questions about what changes are happening to the bicarbonate of soda as the vinegar is squeezed onto it. This gives children the opportunity to develop their critical thinking skills and supports their growing vocabulary. As a result, children develop a positive attitude to learning and make good progress across all areas of the curriculum.

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

• Since the previous inspection, there has been a change of manager. The new manager has a clear and ambitious vision of what she expects for children and families who attend the pre-school. Staff comment that the new manager is very approachable, has clear leadership skills and makes them feel valued and supported.
• The delivery of the curriculum is consistently good and has a positive impact on the progress of children. Staff have high expectations for all children. Well-embedded rules and routines enable children to know what is expected of them. Children's behaviour is good. Staff have clear intentions about what they want children to learn and differentiate their teaching to support the different ages and stages of the children in their group. However, at times, staff do not always provide a higher level of challenge to the most able children to help further extend their learning.
• As a result of positive interactions with skilled staff, all children, including those who speak English as an additional language and have special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop good communication skills. They benefit from enthusiastic staff who immerse themselves in children's play. Staff provide opportunities for children to communicate both verbally and non-verbally by using picture cards. Children readily invite staff into their role-play activities. Staff model and introduce appropriate language and engage in back-and-forth conversations.
• The manager and staff focus the curriculum well on ensuring that children gain the skills they need in preparation for school. They work closely with the local school to support children's transitions and meet with teaching staff to discuss children's learning. The manager and staff place high priority on supporting children's independence in preparation for future learning. Children independently blow their noses at the 'snuffle station', equipped with tissues and a mirror, and learn how to put on and take off their own coats. At mealtimes, children open their own lunch boxes and are provided with jugs to pour their own drinks. However, at times, staff support children without allowing them to try on their own first.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents are all aware of who their child's key person is and value the information shared about their child's learning and development. They comment that staff truly know their children and use this knowledge to support their children's development effectively. The manager is keen to further enhance links between home and the pre-school to ensure that all children make the best possible progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide a higher level of challenge to the most able children to help extend their learning even further
• support staff to recognise when to encourage children to do things for themselves, to further enhance their independence skills.