Bishops Hull Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this warm and friendly pre-school. They develop strong bonds with staff who know them well and give them their full attention. Children make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development as staff support them to feel safe and enthusiastic about their learning. Children are well behaved and happy. They show respect for adults and other children. For instance, children put away resources after they finish playing with them to prevent trip hazards. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive from the consistent routines that they become familiar with, for example when it is time to go outside.

Staff have a clear focus for the curriculum and plan well to help children be ready for their future learning at school. Staff have high expectations for all children. They promptly identified children that need additional support and put strategies in place to help them. Children benefit from staff's experience and teamwork. Children are highly motivated as they learn about concepts such as heavy and light, float and sink. They excitedly find objects to experiment with. They make predictions as they patiently wait for their turn to put their objects in water. Children make good progress from their starting points.

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

• Staff deliver activities that focus on children's individual interests. They provide a welcoming and inclusive pre-school. Staff ensure all children have full access to the curriculum. They adapt activities to meet the needs of each child. For example, when providing a wet sensory dinosaur activity, they provide an additional dry version. This is so that children with SEND that dislike getting their hands messy can also benefit from the exploration of textures and language. Staff support children well to increase their vocabulary.
• Staff promote a love of reading. They provide an entertaining story time that immerses the children. Staff use puppets to capture children's attention, discuss emotions and teach them about behaviour expectations. Children relish these experiences and demonstrate good listening and attention.
• Staff place an emphasis on supporting children's communication and language development. They ask questions and give children time to think and respond. They also encourage children to use sign language. Staff pay particular attention to how they pronounce words themselves. They are careful to speak slowly and provide clear and regular demonstrations for children. All children make good progress with their communication and language.
• Staff work closely with parents and other agencies to ensure there is a consistent approach to children's care and learning. They ensure all children and their families are very well supported. Parents are positive about staff and their children's experiences at the setting. Staff use online apps and daily conversations to gain and share information about children's needs, daily activities and progress. Staff ensure parents know their opinions matter and encourage their feedback.
• Children gain skills that prepare them well for their future learning at school. They develop independence as they take responsibility for their own belongings. They learn how to manage some of their own self-care needs. For example, they put on their shoes and peel bananas at snack time.
• Staff support children to develop their self-esteem as well as a positive attitude to their learning. For example, children are resilient as they persist at the challenge of using stilts. Staff recognise when children need encouragement or support. They praise children as they attempt or master new skills.
• The manager discusses and reflects on practice with staff daily. She ensures mandatory training is up to date. However, professional development opportunities are not targeted as well as they could be to improve the curriculum for children's imagination and creativity. Additionally, staff do not consistently provide children with experiences that help them to learn more about other people, communities and families different from their own.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• target staff's professional development opportunities to extend their delivery of the curriculum for children's imagination and creativity
• develop the curriculum further to help children learn about other communities, people and families different from their own.