Allendale Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at the pre-school. They have formed strong bonds with staff. The learning environment enables children to access a variety of resources, which supports the intent of a well-planned and sequenced curriculum. Children learn to respect their toys. For example, they use china cups and plates in the home corner.

The curriculum is designed to follow the interests of the children. Books and stories are used as a hook for learning, supporting language development and a love of stories. Children benefit from many early literacy opportunities. They sing songs and rhymes and have access to books, inside and outside.

Children thoroughly enjoy the large, exciting garden. They develop their physical skills by climbing, running and rolling. They use scooters to weave their way around, developing their balance and spatial awareness. They enthusiastically help staff to complete daily risk assessments to make sure the garden is safe.

A significant strength of the setting is how much progress children make from what they know and can do when they first start, especially children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff identify gaps in knowledge and support children's learning. They identify successful strategies to develop communication and language.

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

• Since the last inspection, the manager and staff at the setting have worked very hard to ensure that all children learning outdoors have opportunities to practise their reading and writing skills. They have implemented a reading den and mark-making area to support these skills.
• In some instances, the quality of children's learning is outstanding. Stories are used effectively to help children develop their skills across different areas of learning. For example, through the story 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' children made and tasted porridge. Masks supported children to develop their imaginative skills by pretending to be bears. Learning is enjoyable, and therefore children are engaged and make good progress. A floor book provides children with the opportunity to revisit their learning.
• The manager has a very clear view of the setting, including its strengths and areas to develop. A very well-planned and sequenced curriculum outlining what children should know and do by the time they leave the pre-school is in place, and all staff are confident to talk about children's next steps.
• Staff training is a strength. The manager successfully supports the ongoing professional development of staff and sources external and internal training to maintain high standards. Communication and language is a priority. Staff have developed communication friendly spaces to support children's conversations.
• The learning environment supports children to be independent learners as they carry resources from one area to another. Children pour equal amounts of pasta on to plates, which supports their cooperation skills and mathematical development.
• Children learn about their local community through visits to local shops. They buy food and write invitations to shop assistants to visit the pre-school. Staff acknowledge that they live and work in a thriving community and celebrate taking an active role in it.
• Children with SEND are extremely well supported. Staff are quick to spot the signs of children not meeting relevant milestones. Children with SEND make exceptional progress from their starting points, as staff know how best to support them, and they use the support of external agencies successfully.
• Parents speak very highly of the setting. Some can see a 'huge difference' in confidence and speech and are extremely complimentary about all staff. The online system informs parents of their child's progress, and next steps are regularly shared. Parents feel supported by staff, who are 'knowledgeable, caring and welcoming'. Parents value the care taken to support children's move on to school.
• Staff engage children for a focused circle time. Children learn about feelings and why kind hands are important. However, some children become disengaged and start to wander away to seek their own activities before snack and outdoor time. This disrupts learning, and some children wait too long before an adult guides them to their next activity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance strategies for transition times in order to limit waiting times for children.