Bamford Academy Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager and ready to learn at this warm and welcoming pre-school. They have a can-do attitude and enjoy a wealth of activities while feeling safe and secure. For example, children who enjoy being creative draw pictures of family members and skilfully use scissors to cut them out. They proudly show adults the results of their work. Children at the dough table carefully mould, roll and manipulate their creations. Children enjoy books and snuggle up on the carpet with their friends to look at them together. Outdoors, children develop their physical skills while manoeuvring themselves and the equipment as they play. Children focus as they use chalks to create colourful artwork on the ground.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents' anxieties are reduced as children settle quickly. Children are learning how to play in the pre-school environment. They develop their group social skills with support from practitioners who have high expectations and hopes for their future. Children are kind and considerate to their friends. They wait their turn as they enjoy an activity planting beans. They explore the compost and talk with the adult about what else they need for their seeds to grow. A small group of children problem-solve as they work with the magnetic shapes to build a wall around the castle to keep the horses inside.

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

• Leaders have a clear vision for the pre-school. They review what is working well and identify areas for improvement. Recently, the pre-school opened a second room and created free-flow access for the children. At first, children struggled with this large space, which had an impact on behaviour. As a result, leaders have now created two separate rooms to offer more focused support for children in learning how to access the different areas appropriately.
• Strong links with the local schools ensure smooth transitions for children moving into Reception class. Children are supported to be ready for school. For example, they have developed their small-muscle skills and use pencils correctly to form letters. Children confidently put on and take off coats for outdoor play and wash their hands after messy activities and when using the bathroom. They follow instructions and listen intently during carpet time and story time. Phonics is being introduced in preparation for reading. However, practitioners do not consistently model correct letter sounds to children across all areas of the pre-school.
• Children act out their favourite stories by creating 'planets' and 'butterfly wings' while using large hoops in their outdoor play. These opportunities develop their creative and imaginative play. Practitioners support children using the curriculum through positive and frequent interactions. As a result, children are making progress in all areas of their development. However, practitioners are not always aware of children's individual next steps to further extend learning.
• Parents speak highly of the safe and secure attachments their children have with their key person and practitioners. They describe the practitioners as 'marvellous'. A digital app that was introduced during the first national lockdown to maintain contact between pre-school and home has continued. This is now a community for information-sharing between parents, home and pre-school, which continues to build strong links. Parents are appreciative of this.
• Practitioners ensure that children's interests are reflected throughout the environment in the displays, artwork, storybooks and activities that children are offered. Children clearly value one another and the adults through consistent positive behaviour and high levels of engagement in a calm environment.
• Leaders monitor children's attendance by working closely with the local school and parents. This ensures that children are accessing regular high-quality learning. Early years pupil premium funding is used effectively to offer children access to enriching experiences, for example the opportunity to go and watch a pantomime. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported through partnership working between the pre-school, home and professionals. This ensures that children can achieve to their fullest potential. However, children who have an identified need are not yet receiving any extra support within the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• use phonics correctly within the curriculum so children are receiving consistent messages around letter sounds
• implement targeted next steps for children with an additional need to support their progress
• focus more closely on children's individual learning needs when planning for their next steps.