Barnett Wood Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting happily as they say goodbye to their parents. They thoroughly enjoy their time in this exceptionally welcoming and nurturing pre-school. They form incredibly strong emotional attachments with their peers and the staff. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in their environment. They confidently seek out their peers and adults to join them in their play. Children receive reassurance from extremely warm and caring staff. As a result, children have respect for each other and delight in helping each other achieve tasks. Children receive constant praise for their achievements. This supports their self-esteem and positive attitude to learning.

Children are incredibly well behaved and show high levels of motivation. They fully immerse themselves in exciting and highly stimulating play. Children benefit from an exciting curriculum, which has been specifically designed to meet their individual needs. Staff know the children incredibly well and meticulously offer opportunities that help children experience awe and wonder. Children benefit from a rich set of experiences that promote their understanding of the community and people in it. For example, children are thrilled to explore a mystery box delivered by the firefighters before the real fire engine arrives.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive support at the highest level. Staff work incredibly closely with parents and other professionals to ensure a highly successful, collaborative approach. Staff are extremely effective in working with parents and other professionals. This ensures that all children get the high quality, targeted support they need.

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

• The manager has developed an exceptionally strong staff team, and staff are dedicated to providing the best care and education for the children. Staff are highly skilled and knowledgeable in child development. They are swift in identifying early development concerns. Staff, parents and other professionals work incredibly well together and plan and implement early interventions. This enables all children to make the best possible progress.
• Staff have high aspirations for all the children. They use their experience to skilfully assess children's levels of development. Staff use this evidence to plan and deliver exemplary, stimulating activities that build on children's existing knowledge and skills. As a result, children are deeply engaged and have high levels of concentration.
• Teaching is excellent. Staff provide consistently high-quality interactions with children. They especially place great emphasis on developing children's vocabulary. Consequently, children play and learn in a language-rich environment, where they constantly hear new words. For example, they explore what 'fluorescent' means.
• The environment is meticulously planned and meets the needs of individual children. The children self-select resources and enjoy uninterrupted play. As a result, children test out new ideas while they explore an abundance of stimulating resources. For example, children cut up real vegetables during role play, engaging all their senses and sparking their curiosity.
• The manager has a rigorous training plan for the staff team. This deepens staff's already excellent understanding of how to support children to learn and develop. For example, targeted training has helped staff to broaden their understanding of how to support children's play outdoors. Staff use the knowledge they have gained in their exemplary practice to enhance the outdoor provision. Therefore, children have many outdoor opportunities to practise their physical skills. For example, children build on their core strength and determination as they navigate the obstacle course they have built using natural resources available.
• Parent partnership is an extremely high priority at the pre-school. Parents praise the staff team and the high standards of teaching. For example, a parent comments that children make 'remarkable' progress at the pre-school. Parents benefit from carefully planned workshops delivered by the manager and staff. For instance, the most recent courses covered strategies to use with fussy eaters, child behaviour and supporting children with speech delay. This is extremely effective in strengthening the learning environment both at home and in the setting.
• The manager actively engages with the local community to plan experiences for the children. This gives all children opportunities that they may not always have access to at home. For instance, children enjoy going to the post office, visit the train station and feed the ducks at the local pond. As a result, children build on their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.