Blossoms Pre-School Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to begin their day at the pre-school. They settle quickly with familiar adults and confidently explore the activities on offer. Warm, respectful relationships between staff and children support a strong sense of belonging. Staff promote good manners and help children build positive friendships with their peers. When minor conflicts occur, staff respond calmly, getting down to the child's level to explain expectations. Children listen well and respond positively to guidance.

Staff provide children with a range of activities and experiences that help them to learn they are part of a wider community. They take children on regular visits to their local park, library or shops. When staff take the children on walks, they encourage them to stop and listen as they learn how to cross roads or bridges safely. This supports their understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

Children thoroughly enjoy their time outdoors developing their physical skills. They take part in games such as running or kicking a ball to their friends. Children make independent choices in their play and concentrate as they explore their chosen activity. They form friendships, cooperate well with others and show pride in their achievements, for example when building tall towers together with blocks.

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

• Staff attend regular supervision where they discuss their key children and their ongoing professional development. The management team works closely with staff to support them in their roles. As a result, staff report feeling well supported and state that they enjoy working at the pre-school.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff work closely with families to gather detailed information about their children. This enables them to support individual learning and development needs. Parents comment that staff are friendly and approachable and say their children are happy attending the setting. Skilled staff identify when children may be falling behind in their development and implement timely and appropriate interventions. They work effectively with parents and external professionals to ensure children make expected progress.
• Children are curious learners, eager to engage in activities, and, at times, some staff join in with meaningful play. Staff generally respond well to children's ideas and hold purposeful conversations that support their learning. However, there are occasional inconsistencies in staff interactions with children. At times, not all staff provide clear guidance or direction during activities, which results in some children losing focus and disengaging from their learning.
• Children enjoy exploring sand and observe changes in texture and consistency as staff add water, promoting their curiosity and early scientific understanding.
• Children giggle as they dig and fill their buckets, while staff support them to count, helping to develop their mathematical skills in meaningful contexts. They work together to build a den, demonstrating cooperation and collaborative play. Staff support children effectively to develop their social skills and build positive relationships with their peers.
• Staff use their knowledge of children's existing understanding to plan what they want them to learn next, which supports progress and helps to close gaps in learning. However, the planning and preparation of some activities are not always fully considered to enable children to gain the most learning from what is on offer. On occasion, not all staff are sufficiently prepared to deliver learning experiences with clear intent. As a result, some opportunities for learning are less effective and, at times, become incidental rather than purposeful.
• Staff support children's personal care needs well. They respectfully ask for children's permission before changing them and encourage handwashing before mealtimes and after playing outside. This helps children develop an understanding of hygiene routines and promotes independence. Staff supervise children effectively during meals, gently reminding them to eat slowly and take small bites to ensure their safety. They encourage children to use cutlery to feed themselves, helping to build their self-help skills and independence.
• Children learn about what makes them unique. Staff create opportunities for children to share what they celebrate at home and provide inclusive activities that reflect their individual backgrounds. For example, children learn about Lunar New Year by taking part in related activities and trying traditional Chinese foods. These experiences promote children's awareness and appreciation of cultures and celebrations different from their own.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff interactions to identify when adult direction is needed to target children's individual learning more precisely, helping them to reach their full potential
• monitor the planning and preparation of the curriculum to further support staff with the delivery of activities to maximise children learning.