Auckley Pre-School Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy spending time in the preschool. They benefit from carefully planned transition arrangements that help them to settle quickly and form close bonds with staff. Children build secure relationships with their peers. They learn to be kind, and to share and play cooperatively. Children develop resilience. They learn to negotiate and resolve conflicts amicably. A strong focus on supporting children to understand and manage their feelings means that children behave well.

Children experience a broad range of learning opportunities. Babies' interest in animals is extended during a trip to a local wildlife park. Older children develop their early writing skills when they use their fingers to write in frost outside. Children learn how talking through a cardboard tube can change the sound of their voice. They demonstrate their mathematical skills using tape measures.

Children learn about their local community. They regularly visit the local supermarket and farm to buy resources. They travel by bus to visit the library, where they choose books to share with their parents at home. Grandparents come into the nursery to bake with children. Children delight in sharing 'floor books' with visitors. The photographs included in these help children to recall and talk about their learning experiences.

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

• Leaders create a broad, sequenced curriculum, taking into account what children already know and can do. They ensure that the environment reflects children's interests. This means that children are keen to investigate and explore. Staff make good use of spontaneous opportunities to promote children's learning. For instance, children become immersed in trying to break up ice in the outdoor environment using a range of tools.
• Staff regularly share information with parents so that they know what progress children are making and what they are learning at home. Parents greatly appreciate the support, advice and guidance they receive from staff. They say that their children thrive because they are supported by staff who encourage and nurture them. Leaders are quick to identify children who are not reaching their expected milestones. They help parents to access services from other professionals. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive high levels of support. As a result, they make the good progress of which they are capable.
• Staff teach children about the importance of a healthy diet. They show children how using a toothbrush and toothpaste cleans their teeth. Children talk about foods that are good and bad for their teeth. Staff help the youngest children to dress their dolls. As a result, children learn to fasten buttons and zips and begin to understand what clothes they need to wear for outdoor play depending on the weather. Overall, staff support children well to become independent in self-care and ready for the move to school. However, occasionally, staff are not vigilant to ensure that all children carry out good hygiene routines successfully, such as washing their faces after eating snacks.
• Children enjoy being physically active. They choose to play outdoors in all weathers. They develop their balance and spatial awareness using ride-on toys. Children are keen to take part in lively action rhymes, when they experiment with different ways of moving. For example, they develop their large muscles when they crouch and stretch. They laugh as they 'sway like seaweed' and 'wobble like a jelly'.
• Leaders place a strong focus on promoting children's communication and language skills. Staff generally model language well throughout children's play. They engage children in discussions during role-play. Staff encourage children to share books, and older children are keen to demonstrate their knowledge of familiar words. Staff sing songs and rhymes with children. As a result, children are developing a wide vocabulary. At times, staff do not use correct grammar or vocabulary, and this means that children do not always hear words pronounced correctly. For example, staff refer to bananas as 'nanas'.
• Leaders have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. They evaluate the provision well and use their findings to drive improvements. They conduct regular meetings with staff to check on their well-being and for staff to share any concerns they have. Leaders ensure that training is tailored to staff's individual needs, such as supporting babies' development. This means that children enjoy high-quality play and learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• be more vigilant to children who need help with personal care to strengthen good hygiene routines further
• ensure that staff always use correct grammar when sharing stories with children and engaging them in conversation so that children always hear words pronounced correctly.