Aston Pre-School and Creche Services Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this pre-school. Staff greet them warmly as they arrive. Children have a close relationship with their key person and the staff team. This helps them to feel safe and secure. Staff have high expectations for all children. They provide a variety of interesting activities which children enjoy. For example, toddlers make shape prints with paints and pre-school children scoop and build with sand. Staff follow children's interests and adapt planning spontaneously. For example, as snow starts to fall, staff take children outside where they enjoy chasing, catching and feeling the snow. Children develop their large-muscle skills as they run around or kick balls.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff place a strong focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional needs. Children begin to show confidence in their own ability and recognise their own feelings. During group times, staff encourage children to talk about how they are feeling. Children confidently ask visitors their name and ask how they are feeling too. Staff use positive praise and explanations to manage children's behaviour. As a result, children behave well.

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

• The manager is committed to the development of her staff team and ensures they benefit from ongoing support and training. Recent training in how to provide safe, physical care for children helps staff to provide more effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Many children join the setting with skills below those expected for their age. Staff recognise this and focus foremost on giving children the emotional support they need to feel safe, happy and eager to learn. Overall, teaching is good. All children, including those in receipt of additional funding, make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff know what they want children to learn. For example, staff place a high priority on developing children's communication and language skills. Staff consistently model new words and language. They ask children questions to test their understanding and develop conversations. Children enjoy singing songs and rhymes. They excitedly practice singing the 'I love Mummy' song in preparation for a mothers' day assembly celebration the next week.
• Staff know children well and follow children's interests when planning learning opportunities. They make regular observations and assessments of children's abilities. However, staff do not consistently use individual assessment information to focus planning more precisely on what each child needs to learn next.
• Children benefit from some effective communication between the nursery, parents and any other professionals involved. Staff maintain good relationships and share information about children's care. However, staff do not always share detailed information about children's next steps to help parents build on learning at home.
• Staff promote children's independence well. For example, children put their own coats and hats on before they go outside. Children choose what they want to play with and access resources independently. They tidy away toys when they have finished playing with them.
• Children know what is expected of them. This is because staff help to reinforce expectations. During group times, staff remind children of the simple nursery rules. For example, children know they must use 'kind hands' and listen to adults and each other. They play cooperatively and take turns with resources.
• Staff support children to build and balance with construction pieces. They encourage children to recognise colours and count objects as they play. Children are beginning to understand mathematical concepts as they talk about their towers being 'tall'.
• Overall, children benefit from a range of resources and activities. Staff working with toddlers provide experiences throughout the session to engage and motivate children. However, staff do not manage transition times, such as snack time or the end of the session, as successfully for pre-school children. At times, children wait as staff clear away resources to prepare for the next part of the day. This means there are fewer activities available to consistently engage children in play and learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus planning and teaching more precisely on what individual children need to learn next
• develop parent partnerships and share more information to help parents build on learning at home
• review transition times in the pre-school room to consistently engage children in learning.