Bishops Cleeve Preschool Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children confidently arrive at the preschool and staff greet them warmly. Staff thoughtfully adapt children's arrival arrangements, helping them settle in easily; this includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are friendly and kind and get to know children well. They thoughtfully support children's care needs, following parents' wishes and children's individual needs, ensuring children are happy and comfortable at the preschool.

The provider and manager work with staff to form their curriculum. They closely focus on any gaps in children's development. They lead beneficial interventions and additional support, such as small group times to help children's communication. Children make good progress; they remain engaged for continued periods of time and show positive attitudes to learning. Children build with small interlocking plastic bricks, readily following their interests. They persevere to make tall structures and keep them together. Children practise their fine motor skills readily as they draw pictures. They mould dough into shapes and use utensils to cut and change the dough further. Children enjoy using the interactive board. They excitedly make different sounds on the electronic piano. They create patterns and swirl colours on a different screen. Staff extend their exploration by offering other options, and children slide pieces effectively across the screen to complete a puzzle.

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

• Staff ensure the premises are safe, that security protocols are robust and that children are supervised closely. Staff have clear procedures for outings and assessing the woodland the preschool uses at the nearby school. They check the area out on the green in front of the preschool thoroughly, and they appropriately fence it off so that children can play safely.
• Staff help children learn about their local community. They lead 'welly woods' sessions at the local primary school's woodland to foster children's interest in and understanding of the natural world. They visit the village supermarket to buy items. They hold special events such as a 'Father's Day treat making', beneficially encouraging parents to be a part of what the children do at the preschool.
• Children develop their physical skills well. They excitedly join in with the 'wake and shake' session and a parachute game, and staff support children's listening and engagement effectively. Children enjoy time outside on the community green, playing in the shade of the trees. They explore the water activity or have imaginative picnics with staff. They balance along obstacle courses, and staff are there to support them if needed as they jump off at the end.
• Staff regularly liaise with parents via messaging and daily chats. Staff link with schoolteachers and provide information to parents to support children's move on to school. Staff outline 'next steps' for every child and discuss these with parents at termly meetings. They adjust these plans suitably as children's learning needs change, including for children with SEND. However, these adapted plans are not shared with parents and all the external professionals working with the children, to facilitate a fully consistent approach.
• Staff encourage children to make healthy choices and take care of their bodies. Children confidently talk about their healthy lunch items. They pour themselves milk or water at snack time and clean their teeth after lunch. Staff provide useful information to parents to help them also support their children's healthy lifestyles at home.
• Staff are responsive to children's needs and quickly give lots of reassurance and support when children are struggling to understand expectations. Children begin to learn about the needs of others, share toys and start to play cooperatively. Staff offer timely and effective help for children who require particularly perceptive intervention and additional support.
• Staff pick up quickly on children's changing interests and needs and are thoughtful in their support, getting out appropriate puzzles to challenge the different ages of children. However, occasionally, some staff do not encourage children to do things for themselves, such as thinking and solving problems, to progress their skills as much as possible.
• The provider and manager communicate daily with staff, discussing their arrangements and support of the children. They evaluate their practice. They have recognised that the procedures for developing staff teaching need enhancing. They have undertaken training to extend their work in this area and have clear plans for their increased support for staff skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• share full plans for children's learning on an ongoing basis with parents to facilitate a fully consistent approach for children
• implement the planned improvements to the processes for developing staff skills to help all staff interact and support children's learning to consistently high levels.