Aldbourne Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at this warm and welcoming pre-school happy and eager to start their day. The key-person approach is firmly embedded. For example, children's key persons work hard with parents to understand how best to support their children when they start. They gather in-depth information about the children and their families. Staff use this information and plan settling-in sessions that are unique to the children's needs. This helps children feel safe and settle quickly with the staff.

The flexible curriculum is planned around children's interests and builds on what they already know through careful assessments of their progress. The curriculum is enhanced further through opportunities to investigate and explore the local community. For example, staff organise daily trips to the local school, church and library, along with a visit to see farm animals. This provides children with excellent first-hand opportunities to learn about nature, religion, animals and the local community.

Children show they are motivated to learn and make choices throughout the day. For example , they choose whether to play inside or outside following their own interest. Children take part in a variety of creative activities throughout the day, such as, painting pictures of daffodils, drawing or making play dough which supports their imagination and early writing skills. They form good friendships with their peers, laugh and are happy at the pre-school. All children behave well, share and take turns. Younger children enjoy action songs and rhymes. Older children show they are developing the skills for their next stage of learning.

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

• Leaders continually review and evaluate what is working well and identify future developments. Staff are passionate about providing a good environment for children to thrive. They take part in regular supervision meetings and attend meetings to share ideas. Staff attend regular training. This helps staff develop their knowledge further and contributes to children making good progress in their learning. For example, they have recently taken part in training to support communication and language development and are working on ways to implement this.
• Staff work well in partnership with parents. Parents comment on how their children have quickly settled. Staff share regular information with parents about their children's development through daily discussions. This helps parents to continue their child's learning at home.
• Staff use daily routines to help children develop their independence skills. For example, Children prepare their snack, buttering their own crackers and cutting up various fruits. Staff teach children how to put their coats on before playing outside. Older children know to wash their hands before mealtimes and are confident using the toilet. This helps children develop confidence in their own abilities.
• Children experience a range of activities that support their physical development. Staff plan many opportunities in the outside area. For example, children dig in the mud, jump and ride bikes in the large outside spaces, and take part in forest school weekly. This supports children's large- and small-muscle development.
• Staff share stories with children throughout the day. They remind them how to care for the books properly. Staff gather children together in order to sit and listen to a story. However, staff are not successful in maintaining children's engagement. Some lose interest and move away. This disrupts the attention of children who want to listen to the story.
• Children are confident speakers. Staff engage children in meaningful conversations and provide running commentaries during activities. They listen carefully during groups sessions and enjoy spontaneous singing throughout the day. Staff have a comprehension of how children develop their conversation skills. However, on occasion, noise levels inside the pre-school are high which makes it difficult for staff to hear and join in children's valuable conversations. Staff are in the process of implementing new strategies to overcome this.
• Children take part in building puzzles and some number games. However, staff miss opportunities to fully support children's number recognition and problem-solving skills to develop their early mathematical development.
• Staff swiftly identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and provide them with support. They work well with parents and external professionals to implement plans that address gaps in children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further develop ways for staff to maintain children's engagement during large group story time to support their listening and attentions skills
• enhance opportunities further for children to solve problems and develop a understanding of numbers and their early mathematical skills.