Birch Hill Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed by staff as they arrive at the pre-school. Older children are eager to begin their play as soon as they arrive but take time to comfort their younger, newer friends to help them settle. Children are well behaved. They respond to gentle reminders from staff about using good manners and staff help children to share and take turns as they play.

Children show that they feel safe and secure. For example, they talk to staff and visitors with great enthusiasm about the carrots they have picked in the garden and invite them to join in songs. Children are gaining a real interest in the natural world as a result of the staff's good quality teaching skills. They gain confidence handling the pre-school's giant African land snail and hissing cockroach; they learn about hibernation and what different bugs eat.

Children are keen to play outside, where they enjoy a wide range of activities that support their physical development. They blow bubbles for their friends to chase and pop and confidently ride on balance bikes. Staff deploy themselves very well around the setting and join in children's play. They help children to learn about keeping healthy, as they talk to them about why they need to wash their hands and why fruit is good for their bodies.

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

• Staff know the children very well and plan a curriculum based on their knowledge of the children's needs, interests and backgrounds. The activities that staff provide are well thought out and interesting. For example, staff understand that to develop handwriting skills, children need to practise making marks from left to right and top to bottom. They plan a fun mark-making activity in green sand and children proudly say, 'I did it' when they draw lines and zigzags.
• The good range of engaging and exciting activities means that children remain engrossed in their play throughout the day. The mud kitchen outside is very popular and children work together to make mud pies and add natural materials, such as petals and leaves. They pump coloured water from bottles and check the recipe cards on the wall to find out what else they need for their mixture. When finished, the children happily shout out, 'who wants pie?'
• Children's personal development is well supported. They learn how to pour their drinks from a jug at a young age and are encouraged to help keep the setting tidy. Children are regularly seen helping each other to find resources and form close friendships with their peers. As each child leaves at the end of the session, the remaining children shout and wave goodbye.
• Parents are very positive about the pre-school and staff. They comment that they feel well informed about their child's day and the progress they are making.
• Some parents join the committee and take on a more active role in the running of the setting. The committee and staff team work together effectively. However, committee members are not always given clear information about all aspects and responsibilities of the role they have taken on.
• Staff state that they feel well supported to fulfil their roles. They reflect on their practice with the manager during regular supervision meetings and identify training to help them develop their knowledge and skills further.
• The provider has robust recruitment procedures in place to help ensure staff are suitable to work with children. New staff receive a detailed induction to the setting. However, records evidencing the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed are not organised in a coherent and easily accessible way to make them available for inspection.
• Staff provide good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who receive funding. Children develop strong bonds with their key person. The relationships between adults and children are warm and nurturing.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• create more opportunities for committee members to develop a clear understanding of their roles and legal responsibilities
• review the organisation of records, particularly those relating to the recruitment and vetting of staff, to ensure they are more easily accessible and available.