All Saints Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff develop strong bonds with the children. They help them to feel valued in this warm and caring setting. Children are keen to share their ideas with staff members and peers alike. They listen intently to each other's ideas, encouraging each other and providing praise when their peers achieve. For example, they clap for each other and say 'well done' when they achieve tasks. This helps children to build self-esteem, as well as learning to build positive relationships with their peers.

Staff work hard to create a curriculum that has the children's interests and needs at the centre. Staff's implementation of this child-centred curriculum ensures that learning is fun. Children of all ages remain engaged and hold excellent attention during activities. This results in high achievements for all and sets children up with good foundations as they continue their learning journey.

Speech and language are a key area of focus in the curriculum. Staff are a good model of language and ensure all children hear plenty of different vocabulary throughout the morning. This helps all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to successfully build their vocabulary and achieve well.

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

• Staff support children to make good progress in their mathematical development. They regularly integrate counting into games. For example, in the shopping role-play area, members of staff count the number of eggs the children are 'buying'. Staff use mathematical language as they play with children. They discuss how items are 'bigger' or 'smaller' and support children to use this language. This helps children to begin to understand early mathematical concepts.
• Life skills and healthy eating are encouraged. Children have visits from the dentist and are learning how to keep their bodies healthy through eating nutritious food and joining in with regular exercise. Staff encourage children to be independent. Children pour their own water, cut up fruit and wipe their own noses. Children make healthy choices as they grow.
• Children's behaviour is very good. They follow the setting's 'golden rules' which clearly set out the expectations of how they should behave. Staff discuss this with the children each morning and provide reminders throughout the day. Children are heard to repeat these to each other during their play and learning. For example, in the garden, one child is heard to say to another that 'sharing is caring' before giving them the resource they were using.
• The manager has taken steps to ensure that the curriculum supports children to develop appropriate attitudes and understanding of equality and diversity. Occasionally, staff do not consistently support children to gain an awareness of gender roles in society that help them develop their understanding of differences and similarities.
• Children have opportunities to develop their personal, emotional and social skills. Children and staff talk about how they are feeling and sing songs each morning. They all sit together patiently waiting their turns in the discussion. Staff are respectful towards the children and each other and this is mirrored by the children. For example, they listen to each other and apologise when they accidently bump into their peers due to their enthusiastic actions. Developing important skills such as these helps children to form friendships.
• Parents say that they and their children are well supported by the staff. They are happy to discuss any problems with staff, either personal or in relation to their child, and everyone is made to feel welcome. Children choose their own key person, seeing who they build a connection with. Parents report that this allows their children to settle easily.
• The manager is passionate about ensuring that every child is supported to grow and develop in the setting. Staff feel well supported and valued and, as such, staff retention is extremely good. This provides stable and familiar support for the children and their families, allowing them to develop secure attachments. Staff attend regular training. The manager identifies this, based on the needs of the children. This leads to good outcomes for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• guide staff to help children gain an awareness of gender roles in society that help them develop their understanding of differences and similarities.