Bees in the Hive Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed into the setting. There is a well-established key-person system that encourages children to form secure attachments. Children feel safe in their environment and are happy and confident learners. Children are motivated and eager to join activities. They listen carefully and wait patiently for instructions when staff suggest playing a game. Staff communicate with children clearly and effectively. Children understand staff's expectations and are fully engaged. They listen and are excited to join in. Children are confident and proud to show what they are learning. They show visitors that they recognise numbers they find hidden around the setting and can match them to the correct quantity. Children show that they are proud of what they have learned.

Children learn about a range of cultural events that are relevant to the children who attend the setting. This helps to give children a sense of belonging, and they feel proud and valued. Children recently learned about Remembrance Day. They discussed the event and made a large poppy together, to display at the setting.

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

• The manager has constructed a curriculum that is designed to give children the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. Children develop their personal, social, communication and language skills. They have fun when learning. The curriculum is planned so that children build on what they already know and develop skills for the future.
• Staff have a good knowledge of their key children. They identify children's needs quickly. Staff support families to access the relevant agencies and make referrals when needed. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with additional needs receive appropriate support in a timely manner.
• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They set boundaries for children and teach them how to manage their own feelings and emotions. Staff support children to be kind to each other. They model positive behaviours and help children to develop a sense of right and wrong. This is reflected in children's positive attitudes and behaviours.
• Children enjoy outdoor play. For example, they explore the sand and join in with large mark-making activities. However, staff do not always offer as many outdoor opportunities to engage children who prefer to learn in an outdoor environment.
• Children are making good progress in all areas of learning. They demonstrate good mathematical skills and understand early mathematical language. For example, children count objects during their play and recognise and name numerals in the environment. Children develop good skills ready for their next stage of learning.
• Children choose books to share at home. However, staff do not ensure that children are able to access books independently, to nurture their love of books and early reading.
• Staff support children with SEND. They use picture prompts to communicate effectively with children. Staff support children with SEND and their families to access additional help from other agencies. Staff have regular contact with speech and language therapists and the local authority's special educational needs and disabilities coordinator. They use the advice given by these professionals to ensure that they provide the best education for all children and plan purposeful activities.
• Staff promote good partnerships with parents. Following the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have reintroduced parent sessions. Family members join the setting for activities, such as pizza making, and staff use this time to communicate and support families. Parents describe the support staff provide as going 'above and beyond'. Staff support the well-being of children and their families through an open-door policy.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the use of the outdoor area to enable children to have equally high-quality experiences outdoors as those of the indoor learning environment
• enhance the use of stories and books throughout the setting to support children's love of reading.