Blues Pre-School Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from the calm and nurturing staff as they arrive at pre-school. They are confident to explore the safe and welcoming environment. Staff know that children need to feel happy and secure to thrive. Therefore, they prioritise children's emotional well-being. Tailored settling-in sessions ensure that children build secure attachments with staff. Therefore, children swiftly settle. Staff encourage parents to regularly share photos of children's experiences from home. They use these well to plan activities that help children to recall and build on what they know and can do. Children have a positive attitude to learning and respect for resources. For instance, they persevere to complete challenging tasks, such as using sticky tape to fix the pages of a book. Staff praise children for their achievements and reward them with stickers. This helps to boost their self-esteem.

Children follow a good hygiene routine and have the foundations to be independent individuals. They serve themselves a healthy snack and know to clear away their plate and cup when finished. Children are imaginative. They pretend to be doctors and nurses as they care for toy dolls. Children welcome staff's warm interactions in their play. Staff use this opportunity to introduce children to new words, such as 'stethoscope' and support the correct pronunciation of words they say. Children are inquisitive and express a keen interest in x-ray images. Staff challenge them to identify which part of the body their represent. Children thoroughly enjoy splashing in puddles and develop good flexibility and balance during yoga sessions.

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

• Leaders are highly reflective of the provision and curriculum they offer. Recent enhancements to the curriculum ensure that the overarching intent aligns with the immediate needs of the current cohort of children. Staff have a secure understanding of each child's needs. They identify their next steps in learning and plan learning experiences that reflect children's interests. These complement the curriculum intent and follow a sequenced approach. This means all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Children have some understanding of differences and the world around them. For example, they taste food from different cultures and staff use spontaneous moments, such as an air ambulance landing in an adjacent field to help children to develop an awareness of the role of a paramedic. However, leader's do not consistently support children to learn about a wide range of cultures, communities and ways of life that are outside their own experiences.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported by the staff team. They work in partnership with external professionals and make the best possible use of the newly transformed sensory room to support the individual needs of children. Leaders use additional funding successfully to support children's developmental needs. For instance, extra-curricular activities that encourage children's engagement through musical storytelling.
• Children benefit from lots of opportunities to explore their feelings and emotions. Staff effective use of questions during their interactions with children encourage them to express how they feel in different situations. Children are beginning to share and take turns. They work together to sort different coloured objects in to matching coloured bowls.
• Leaders support staff in their ongoing professional development. They regularly observe staff practice and provide immediate guidance and support if needed. Staff have good opportunities to complete training that is focused on the needs of children attending and embraces staff's natural strengths and interests. New knowledge and skills is shared with the whole team to ensure a consistent approach. Recent training has improved staff's ability to support children's imagination and creativity through a rich range of everyday objects and materials.
• Overall, children have opportunities to lead their own play indoors. Alongside this, staff plan a range of group adult-led activities, such as story time. They use these to introduce children to new vocabulary and recall what they have previously learnt, such as which soft toy monster represents a feeling. However, leaders do not always organise the daily routine to fully support children's participation in a wide range of learning opportunities. For instance, children have very limited time in the inviting outdoor environment before coming indoors to have lunch.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. There is a good two way flow of communication. For instance, staff share information through children's online learning records as well as speaking with parents at drop off and collection times. Parents report that they are very pleased with their child's progress. They appreciate how leaders and staff are always available to offer advice and support, when needed. Parents have a real sense of belonging at the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance opportunities that support children's understanding of other cultures, communities and ways of life
• refine the organisation of the daily routine to fully support children's participation in a wide range of learning opportunities.