Annabelle's Fernham Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff show a genuine enthusiasm and passion for working with children. They effectively demonstrate how they add value to all children's learning and how this is making a difference to their development. Children grow in confidence as their explorations are valued and their discoveries are celebrated. They follow the kind and collaborative examples set by staff and swiftly learn to take turns and play together harmoniously. Children demonstrate positive learning behaviours that are consistently recognised and praised by staff. For example, children listen and focus attentively during group time as they proudly contribute to discussions, recall events and sing familiar songs. Children are polite and consistently show care and consideration towards their friends. For instance, as children dress themselves for outdoor play, one child turns to a friend and says, 'I will wait for you.'

The implementation of the curriculum is embedded well. Staff have high expectations of children and aspire for them to achieve. Staff skilfully respond to children's ideas as they play and narrate what they are doing, which ignites children's communication and language. Children show pride in their achievements as they perform a rehearsed nativity play excellently. This demonstrates children's ability, confidence and motivation to perform in front of a large audience.

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

• Leaders are knowledgeable and work well with the staff team to design a curriculum that is sequenced and ambitious for all children. Overall, staff know the children well. They find out about children's interests and needs when they start. This helps to build on what children already know and can do. This means that children make good progress in their learning.
• Staff communicate very well with children to encourage their language skills. They use clear sentences for younger children to understand and encourage all children to use their words. Older children communicate using complex sentences and can make their needs and wants known. Staff provide a running commentary on what they are doing and introduce new words. For example, children recall 'pre-school big words' they have learned, such as 'perseverance', and understand that this means 'to keep on going'.
• Children develop their independence well. During snack time, children are excited to be selected to help prepare the table. Children make choices and confidently use small tongs to select which healthy foods they would like. Staff support children to use mathematical concepts during these routines. For example, children are encouraged to count how many cups they need on the table and use appropriate language to compare the different sizes of their food, such as 'biggest' and 'smallest'.
• Children are highly confident and develop good levels of self-esteem. Staff praise them regularly for their efforts and achievements, such as when children independently make crowns. Staff encourage children to talk about their creations and support them to develop their creative and fine manipulative skills.
• Children behave exceptionally well. Staff teach children to respect others, share and be kind to others. Children learn how to understand feelings. They listen to staff's instructions and follow them well.
• Children learn about people and different festivals from around the world. However, staff have not considered making full use of opportunities to represent all children's experiences, backgrounds and heritage to support their understanding of everyone being unique.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents report positively on the welcoming and friendly pre-school. They comment on how they feel well informed about their children's learning, development and progress. They greatly value the staff and the level of care they provide.
• Staff reflect on their practice and identify areas to develop. Staff complete mandatory training and discuss best practice with other practitioners. However, the programme of professional development is not sharply focused on developing their teaching and wider curriculum skills even further. Leaders place a strong focus on staff's well-being. Staff say they feel well supported through regular team meetings and supervision sessions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend children's knowledge and understanding of the similarities and differences between themselves and others, to further develop their awareness of diversity and increase their understanding of what makes them unique
• focus on strengthening staff's ongoing professional development to further enhance and improve their knowledge and skills.