Banstead Bunnies Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this welcoming setting where they feel happy and safe. Staff are kind, caring and attentive. They get to know children well. This helps to promote children's emotional well-being. There are high expectations for children's behaviour. Children join in with the good range of opportunities and experiences on offer. They enjoy observing the real frogspawn and tadpoles swimming in the tank and cracking their own eggs to see what is inside. Children develop their imaginations well. They mix oats in the outside kitchen to make food for each other.

Children show an eagerness to learn, which prepares them well for future learning. All children make good progress from their starting points, including those who receive funded education and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders and managers maintained good contact with the families of those children not attending. Parents now come into the setting using a one-way system. This is to help reduce the risk of infection, but also enables staff to exchange important information with parents. Parents report that they love the setting and the opportunities it provides. They compliment the staff for their dedication and the level of care they provide for the children.

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

• Staff know children well. They use their existing knowledge of what children can already do to plan activities to support them to progress in their learning. Children benefit from learning about a healthy lifestyle. Children have recently planted fruit and vegetables in their planting garden with a view to offering it for snack in the summer term. This offers children a good understanding of where food comes from. Children follow thorough hygiene routines and learn the importance of good handwashing to help prevent the spread of infection. They develop good physical skills as they play outdoors and take part in active sessions.
• There is a well-managed key-person system. Staff ensure that they update parents about the progress their children make day to day. Online systems provide further information about child's learning and how parents can support this at home.
• Staff use consistent behaviour management strategies that support children to develop a good understanding of right and wrong. They provide lots of praise and encouragement. This has a positive impact on children's emotional well-being.
• Staff plan adult-led activities that follow themes that interest children. At times, the daily routines influence the amount of time that children spend engaged in the activities. As a result, children are not always able to reach a natural end in their investigations and learning.
• Staff plan a broad and balanced curriculum that covers all areas of learning. They have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop. The quality of teaching is good. However, when planning an activity, staff plan for too many learning intentions, meaning that the focus is on general learning rather than supporting children to have a depth of knowledge.
• Staff have regular opportunities to develop their own professional knowledge and understanding through training and workshops. They share their ideas with colleagues, which helps to maintain good-quality care and education. Early years professionals from outside of the nursery visit and review practice. This helps senior staff to plan for continual improvements throughout the nursery. This is further enhanced by the drive and enthusiasm of the whole team.
• Gaps in learning are identified, with managers and staff working with parents and other professionals where needed. Additional funding is used appropriately to support children's individual learning, such as to support with transitions to school. Staff place a strong focus on preparing children for starting school. They have high expectations of all children, including those with SEND. This helps to ensure that their needs are understood and met. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported by staff. For example, staff take time to create personal dual-language books and resources to enhance children's understanding and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the curriculum learning intentions, so they are clear about what skills and knowledge they want children to gain
• provide further opportunities for challenge at the end of adult-led activities, where children can explore the activity independently and consolidate their learning.