Attenborough Church Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children run in excitedly when they arrive at pre-school. They are learning to recognise their name as they place their coat and lunch box on chairs with their name labels on them. Children quickly settle as they choose what they would like to do from the range of varied activities that staff have set up around the room. During the day, children are able to choose whether to play inside or outdoors. They spend much of their time outdoors in the large natural garden. Children explore their surroundings and develop their physical skills. They dig with spades and say they are building a spaceship as they collect and carry pieces of wood to add to their creation.

Children are learning to become independent and begin to take care of themselves. They put on their wellies before they go outside to play and are learning to pour their own drink from a jug. When children spill some water from the jug staff say, 'not to worry' and help them to clear it up. At snack time, children clear their plates and cups away once they have finished eating.

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

• Managers and staff have put together a well-thought-out curriculum which they deliver through a combination of child-led and adult-led activities. They plan activities around children's interests, such as dinosaurs and space, and use these to extend children's independence, communication and language skills and their knowledge of mathematics.
• Staff follow the children's lead. They adapt their in-the-moment approach to capture children's imagination. As children play outside, they teach children the mathematical concepts of 'more' and 'less'. Staff pretend to go on a journey in the children's spaceship and ask children to join as they go. Children extend their counting skills as they count each time a child joins or leaves the spaceship. They recall previous learning, as they say they are going to Saturn, Jupiter and the Earth.
• The staff know the children well. When children start pre-school, they ask parents to provide information about what they already know and can do and things that are important to them as a family. Younger children join stay-and-play sessions with their parents before they start pre-school, which helps them to get to know the staff. However, staff do not link with other settings children have previously attended. This means information is not consistently gathered to identify children's starting points and identified learning needs.
• Children are learning to enjoy books as staff enthusiastically read stories to them. Staff ask children questions about the story as they read and encourage them to think as they introduce new words, such as 'enormous' and 'gigantic' to extend children's vocabulary.
• Children behave well. Staff remind them to share and to have 'kind hands'. They use a listening ear picture to help remind children to listen quietly at key times during the day. However, staff do not yet provide enough support to ensure all children learn to listen and focus during group activities.
• Staff provide sensitive support tailored to children's individual needs. Children's additional needs are identified early, and staff work with other agencies to access specialist support. Staff each have a set of picture cards to help children who are non-verbal to understand what is happening next. They provide small-group time for children who need extra support, to explore a treasure box to help them with their speaking skills and pronunciation. These steps help children with additional needs to make good progress.
• Parents say their children love attending the pre-school. They particularly value the outdoor activities staff provide. Parents state the staff helps their children learn new skills, such as developing their speaking skills further and becoming more confident.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• clarify how group activities will be planned and managed to meet all children's needs, particularly for children who struggle to listen and focus
• liaise with other settings children attend to better understand their needs and what they know and can do when they first attend.