Atherton Pre-School Day Care Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the pre-school happy and settled. Staff's warm smiles and positive attitudes help to create a welcoming environment. Children are eager to come into the pre-school and confidently explore their surroundings. The key-person system is well established, and staff know children and their families well. Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure. In the main, leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum with a focus on encouraging children to become independent and confident communicators. They plan fun and exciting play opportunities to support this. For example, children enjoy cutting up vegetables and exploring the new textures and colours.

Staff support children to lead healthy lifestyles. They provide nutritious and healthy snacks. Staff have supported parents and carers to develop their knowledge about healthy lunch box ideas for their children. Children enjoy lots of opportunities to balance on low-level equipment and regularly access the large outdoor environment. These opportunities support children's physical development. Children behave well and show a positive attitude to their learning. For example, they enjoy ring games with the pre-school's 'friendship ring'. This supports children to participate in large-group activities and develop their social skills.

Leaders ensure that staff have the training to support their teaching skills and help all children to progress. For example, staff consistently build on what they already know to support children who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school provides a range of books to build on children's use of English. Staff create special books with important key words in children's home languages. This helps children to have a sense of belonging.

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

• Leaders plan a balanced curriculum that is tailored to children's individual needs and helps children to build on their learning. For example, children practise their fine motor skills as they use scissors to cut up materials. These opportunities support children's small-muscle development. Staff have good knowledge of what children already know and what they want them to learn next. Overall, the curriculum is implemented well, which helps children to make good progress.
• Leaders have a curriculum in place for mathematics. Staff implement parts of this well, such as supporting children to learn how to count. However, at times, the opportunities for children to develop their mathematical skills past counting are limited, and staff do not consistently challenge and extend children's understanding in this area.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills well. During stories, they read to children in an exciting manner and introduce them to new vocabulary, such as 'cocoon'. In addition, staff speak clearly and role model good language. Consequently, children develop good early communication and language skills.
• Children learn important skills for the next stage of their development. They undertake age-appropriate tasks, especially during mealtimes. For example, children choose and serve their own snack and pour their own water from a jug. These opportunities foster high levels of independence.
• Partnerships with parents are positive. Staff share information to support parents, such as how to maintain children's oral health. However, they do not consistently keep parents up to date with their children's next steps in learning. As a result, continuity in children's learning and development is not consistent.
• Staff have clear expectations for children's behaviour and conduct. They reinforce the rules of the pre-school regularly to help children to understand what is expected of them. Staff use effective strategies, such as a sand timer, to support children with turn-taking. Children demonstrate positive behaviour and are kind to their peers.
• Leaders value their staff, most of whom are long-standing and work well together. Staff have opportunities, such as during supervision meetings, to discuss their well-being and professional development opportunities. Training is targeted to support the needs of the children in the pre-school. For example, some staff have completed training to support children with managing their emotions. Leaders understand the importance of having well-trained staff and the positive impact this has on children's outcomes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the curriculum for mathematics in order to help children to build a secure knowledge of early mathematical skills
• enhance the support and ideas given to parents for children's learning at home, to extend children's development further.