Beaumont Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a warm and nurturing environment. Children separate from their parents without hesitation and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. They make independent choices in their play and swiftly engage in activities alongside their friends. For example, young children show an interest in sea creatures and are keen to investigate their intricate features. Staff build on children's new knowledge, such as through books and technology. They foster these opportunities to help build on children's understanding of how to stay safe when accessing the internet for example

Staff plan a curriculum that places a strong focus on children's personal, social and emotional development. They use a variety of strategies to help children manage their feelings and emotions. For example, they give children time to relax and spend some quiet time in the recently introduced cosy areas within the room. Children delight in looking at family pictures with their friends. This supports a sense of belonging at the setting.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. When small disputes occur, they sensitively speak to children at a level of their understanding. Children play well together. For example, older children work as a team to make cement with sand and water. They practise using tools as they carefully build constructions with bricks. Staff praise children for their successes, which boosts their confidence and self-esteem.

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

• Leaders have worked hard to make improvements to the pre-school since the last inspection. They know what children can and cannot do and plan a varied curriculum that covers the seven areas of learning. Staff provide learning activities that are based on current themes, children's on-going progress and their interests. However, not all staff target planning precisely enough, to consistently build on children's developing speech and pronunciation skills, to help all children make the best possible progress in their language and communication development.
• Staff provide good support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are attentive to their needs, show kindness and warmth, and offer reassurance should children become unsettled. Leaders work alongside other professionals involved in children's care, to ensure continuity in children's on-going progress. They use additional funding well to benefit the specific needs of all individual children. All children, including those with SEND, make good progress.
• Staff begin to teach children the importance of a healthy lifestyle. For instance, at lunch time, staff initiate discussions with children about the different types of food needed for a well-balanced diet. Children build on their physical skills in the garden for example. They practise using balls in a variety of ways and build on their core strength as they climb up apparatus. Staff encourage children to take age-appropriate risks, such as balancing and jumping off a variety of equipment. Children know to stay hydrated and independently access their water bottles when needed.
• Staff gather data from parents when their children first start at the pre-school. Alongside their initial assessments, this helps them to swiftly identify any gaps in children's development. Staff continue to share information on children's daily achievements and welfare needs, such as through discussion and digital media. However, they do not use diverse strategies to share more detailed information on children's on-going goals and targets with all parents. This does not provide consistent continuity in children's on-going development, to help children make the best possible progress.
• Leaders have an ambitious vision for the pre-school. For example, they have made significant improvements to the outdoor play area since the last inspection. This has had a positive impact on the opportunities children have to explore nature and the natural world for example.
• Staff support early writing skills well. For example, older children write their names on their art work. They use tools, such as brushes, rollers and chalks to draw, create patterns and form letters on different surfaces.
• Staff are good role models and gently encourage children to follow rules. Children eagerly tidy up the resources as they get ready for lunch. They show good manners and use kind words, such as 'excuse me' and 'thank you.' They listen to staff and tuck in their chairs when they get up from the table. This supports school readiness.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen planning, to target more consistently on children's developing speech and pronunciation skills
• provide all parents with more specific information about their children's on-going progress, to offer consistent continuity in children's learning at the setting and at home.