Ashurst Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are full of joy and excitement as they arrive at the pre-school. They confidently find their pegs and hang up their bags and coats. Children feel safe and secure. They respond warmly to devoted staff, who engage them in meaningful conversation while supporting them with self-registration.

Older children engage in craft and colouring activities with pure delight. They cut out shapes and patterns with care and precision. Children enthusiastically explain their rainbow picture designs and discuss what they know and have learned about boomerangs. Children are notably proud of their achievements and have highly positive attitudes to learning.

Activities are set up purposefully for children to extend their learning and inspire their curiosity. For example, younger children become fully absorbed when they explore coloured rice in a tray. They experiment with a range of different pouring and scooping equipment. Staff support this learning as they demonstrate how to use the variety of tools available. Furthermore, they add language such as 'mix' and 'stir' as young children begin to build and develop their vocabulary. Children are actively participating in motivating and meaningful learning experiences.

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

• The manager is ambitious and reflective. She creates an inspiring curriculum that staff know and implement in their planning and teaching. The manager has high expectations for all children in her care, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works closely with her team, parents and other professionals to ensure children are fully supported. For example, she enlists the support of a parent speech and language therapist to enhance children's learning. Children are supported in achieving best possible outcomes.
• Children are developing important early literacy skills. They engage in activities where they recognise the letters in their name and practise writing them. Children enjoy looking at books independently and staff read to them in small groups throughout the day. However, during a story before lunch, children are told to go and wash their hands despite being engrossed in the book. As a result, children miss the end of the story and their love for reading is not always fully supported.
• Children are reminded to wash their hands before and after they eat. They can clearly explain why they need to carry out this hygiene routines 'to get rid of all the germs'. During snack time, children also discuss the importance of brushing their teeth, and staff deliver consistent messages about eating a balanced diet. Children are building a good understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle.
• Children access a range of challenging activities in the bright and inviting outside areas. Staff support children effectively in their play. For instance, they encourage children to mix paints together in large bowls with a range of tools. This helps to encourage them to use small-muscle movements in their hands. Alongside this, children run, jump and balance as they climb on planks and large tyres. Children are exploring with pleasure as they build their physical skills.
• At the beginning of the day, older children sit down with staff to take the register and then discuss the pre-school rules together. Children knowledgeably explain the different rules as they look and pictures of themselves demonstrating these. However, at times, children are not reminded of these rules by staff when they run inside for example. Through this, children are sometimes unclear on the behavioural expectations at the pre-school and therefore do not follow these rules.
• Parents share that they are extremely pleased with the extensive communication they receive from their child's key person. They explain that they can easily access information about their child's progress and future learning through the online platform provided. Parents know what their children are working towards and are given clear information on how to extend their learning further at home. Partnerships with parents are strong.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• promote the importance of story time, so that children's love of reading is supported to the highest level
• build on how the pre-school rules are implemented by staff, to ensure they can be consistently understood by children.