All Saints Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders warmly welcome families into the pre-school, and children enthusiastically go and join their friends to play. Leaders recognise the uniqueness of all families that they work with as they spend time getting to know the community they are a part of. They celebrate cultural and religious festivals and engage in helping those who are less fortunate. This supports leaders to plan for children to have access to resources and learning that meets their individual needs. Leaders consistently use words in children's home languages to support their understanding during routines and their play.

Leaders have built trusting relationships with children by teaching them language that helps them to share their feelings. Children feel safe and confident to independently seek out an adult to ask if they can talk about how they are feeling. Leaders have successfully supported children and families through a range of changes in their lives, such as a new baby in the family or experiencing a bereavement. Additionally, children behave well. They listen carefully and look out for their friends. For example, they check on one another, especially if they have tripped over. This has a positive impact on children's personal, social and emotional development.

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

• Leaders provide a curriculum that is ambitious and builds on children's current strengths to help them move on to their next stage of learning. Children hear a lot of vocabulary, including in their own and others' home languages. This helps children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to make good progress in their communication skills and become confident talkers.
• Leaders help children to learn about numbers through play and experience. For example, during snack time, children count fruit and recognise the shape and colour of what they are eating. Children cut their bananas and excitedly show each other that it is a circle.
• Leaders know the importance of staff continually developing their knowledge and skills to ensure that children have access to consistently good learning. For example, leaders have recently attended mental health training to support families and children in need. Children take part in short, daily and age-appropriate meditation exercises, which help them learn to be calm.
• Staff frequently model language that describes different emotions. Children have daily opportunities to discuss their feelings. For example, children use a feelings board and can explain why they feel a certain way. As a result, children begin to understand their own feelings and those of others.
• Leaders have high expectations for children's behaviour. They promote children's positive behaviour through praise, role-modelling and explaining what could happen if they do not use tools safely. Children listen carefully and develop a positive attitude to their learning.
• Leaders are working on a recognised healthy eating programme. Children enjoy nutritious snacks as leaders encourage parents to bring in a range of fruit and vegetables that children can try as a group. This promotes children's health.
• Children show enthusiasm and are engaged in their learning. Leaders are clear with children about the routine of the day. Mostly, children are ready for the transition from one activity to another. However, leaders do not always consider children's individual interests and needs during these transition times. For example, leaders announce when it is 'time for a drink', or 'tidy-up time', which can disrupt children's play and sometimes cause them to lose their attention in learning.
• The pre-school develops strong partnerships with families. Leaders encourage parents to be involved in their children's learning. Parents attend meetings to talk about their children's progress and get involved in events, such as when a dentist visits the pre-school. The manager recognises the needs of the families. For example, she has set up a food bank to ensure that families have access to essential supplies that they may need. Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They comment that staff are very caring and that they appreciate staff's ongoing communication and support.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how to manage routines to minimise disruption to children's engagement in their learning and play.