Birchanger Butterflies Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have fun playing in the garden and thoroughly enjoy the freedom to take measured risks. After confidently climbing planks and crates children jump from one side of a tractor tyre to the other. They ask 'did you see me' showing great pride in this achievement. Playing in the water tray young children concentrate well. Pushing a small boat to the bottom of the tray they discover with delight that when they let go, it quickly rises to the top. Fascinated by this new discovery they repeat this action, showing good physical skills as they firmly push against the resistance of the water.

Older children enjoy group time, they sit at tables and show good levels of focus and concentration as they take part in planned activities. Children interact with staff, enthusiastically telling them what they are doing. Children are well behaved for their stage of development and have a good attitude to learning. Older children share well with others. For example, they kindly give a child, who is upset, the football they were playing with. Children collaborate well as they chat amiably with friends, making up storylines about what they are doing. They tell adults they are not scared of a 'big hairy giant' and pretend to chase after him.

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

• Children are happy and settled in the pre-school. They know that if they are worried or upset, they can 'talk to the teachers'.
• The provider has adapted daily routines, in view of COVID-19 (coronavirus), to ensure the good health of children. Drop-off and collection arrangements have been altered so that parents no longer come into the pre-school and additional cleaning measures have been implemented.
• Staff capably encourage children to take risks and carefully consider how they can make activities safe for them and others. For example, they check that planks of wood are secure, and crates are lined up alongside tractor tyres.
• The outdoor area is exciting and thoughtfully equipped. Staff have organised the space well and they successfully support the learning needs of all children.
• Staff work in partnership working with other agencies, helping to ensure that there is an effective sharing of information. This promotes continuity in children's learning very well.
• Children's independence is fostered effectively. Staff show young children how to put their arms in their coat and flip it over their head. They successfully encourage children to have a go at doing this themselves.
• Policies and procedures are in place and are available to parents. This helps the provider and staff support the effective management of the pre-school.
• Staff successfully use strategies that help children respond to questions in ways that support them to develop their ideas and thoughts. For example, they give them plenty of time to think before answering.
• Staff value children's contributions when they ask them how they manage to 'balance'. Older children are eager to show staff that putting their arms out from their sides stops them wobbling. The children thoroughly enjoy the praise given to them for this 'good idea'. Young children copy this, helping them to balance too.
• The manager provides staff with a good level of support. She works alongside them and uses her observations to help their ongoing development. Staff are invited to regular supervision meetings and know that they can speak to the manager at any time as part of her 'open-door policy'.
• During group time, staff provide children with large visual clues to help them learn and recognise a wide range of shapes. Children are excited when they successfully identify a triangle or a square.
• The manager and her staff do not always make the most of information gained from young children's assessments, to help focus more precisely on what each child needs to learn next.
• The manager does not make sure that feedback to parents consistently provides them with information that gives them the opportunity to further support their children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• use information gained from assessment more precisely, to plan for and target what younger children need to learn next to promote the best possible progress
• enhance the good partnership with parents further so that all parents consistently receive ideas and suggestions about how they can support their child's individual learning at home.