Beckley Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children successfully develop their social skills, which is seen when they play happily together and share their toys. Staff are good role models and gently remind children to be polite and kind. Children listen carefully and respond positively to requests and instructions from staff, which prepares them well for school. Staff support children to respect the ideas and choices of others. For example, they encourage children to vote for the story they would like to hear at circle time and explain that staff will read the book with the most votes.

Children are confident and happy at the pre-school. They settle easily and quickly engage in play. Children show excitement as they arrive, which is seen as they chat with their friends and help each other find their name card. Staff are warm and welcoming and consistently give children lots of praise and encouragement. This promotes children's emotional well-being and helps them to feel safe and secure.

Children successfully develop their independence skills. Staff support and encourage children to try things for themselves. For example, children pour their own drinks at mealtimes and wash up their own plates. Resources are arranged on low, open shelves, so children can freely choose what they want to play with. This helps to enhance their decision-making skills.

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

• Staff use a range of ways, such as picture cards and signing, to promote children's communication and language skills. This helps children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to understand and communicate their needs. This promotes children's independence and confidence.
• Staff plan an exciting and inviting learning environment with a good range of activities available for children to freely access. For example, older children measure ingredients and knead the dough they make. This successfully develops their early mathematical knowledge and strengthens their hand muscles in preparation for future pencil control. However, staff do not always support children to access the activities on offer. This means children do not fully benefit from all education opportunities available to them.
• Overall, staff use observations and assessments well to monitor children's progress. They use the information gathered to plan activities to help most children, including those with SEND, to achieve their next steps in learning. However, there are times when the learning needs of children are less well met. For example, staff do not plan activities that support younger children effectively to make the best possible progress.
• Staff know their key children well. They form warm, positive relationships with children and check in with them throughout the day to assure their emotional well-being.
• Children learn how to keep themselves healthy. For example, at mealtimes, staff talk to children about nutritious food choices and the importance of brushing their teeth. Furthermore, children have plenty of opportunities to enjoy learning outdoors where they benefit from fresh air and exercise.
• Staff show high levels of respect for children and each other. They give consistent messages to children about the expectations of behaviour. For example, they gently remind children to walk when indoors and to be nice to their friends. This supports children to be polite, well mannered and helpful. For example, they willingly assist staff to clear away toys before going outside to play.
• Staff support children to recognise their emotions and understand their feelings. This helps them to make positive relationships with their peers. Furthermore, staff talk to children about the importance of being kind and caring to each other. This is seen when older children show their younger friends how to clean animals with a toothbrush.
• Parents are extremely happy with the care their children receive when at the pre-school. They enthusiastically comment on how friendly, welcoming and approachable staff are. Parents feel valued and fully involved in their child's learning. They enjoy the regular feedback at the end of each day and via the secure online system.
• Leaders support staff well. Staff feel their workloads are manageable and their well-being is prioritised. Furthermore, leaders use supervision meetings to offer coaching and identify training opportunities. This helps to keep staff's knowledge and skills current.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• train staff to support children to access all the high-quality learning opportunities available to them to promote learning to the highest level
• support staff to plan learning activities to meet the learning needs of younger children to ensure that they make the best possible progress.