Boley Park Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and are greeted by the friendly staff. They develop secure bonds with the caring and nurturing staff. This helps children to settle quickly and to have a sense of belonging at the pre-school.

Children thrive in this pre-school. They show enthusiasm for the wide range of activities available to them. They are excited and motivated to learn. For example, outside, children explore a range of plastic bugs. They are in awe when they find a spider's web. Staff use this opportunity to introduce new learning by providing the children with magnifying glasses to observe the spider's web. Children explore marks using paintbrushes and water as they paint spiders. Staff skilfully expand on children's language and mathematical concepts. They introduce words such as 'circle' to describe the spider's round body and count how many legs a spider has. This helps children to make connections in their play.

Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and they are supported well. Staff seek specialist advice and work closely with other professionals to make referrals and ensure that the needs of children with SEND are met. This helps to ensure that children receive focused support to help them make progress in their learning.

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

• The manager and staff work together to provide an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum that builds on children's interests and next steps. Staff use information from assessments of children's learning and development to close gaps quickly. This helps children to develop the skills and knowledge they need to get them ready for the next stage in their learning.
• Children enjoy the free-flow access to the outdoor area. Younger children use tricycles and pedal them to go around the chalked 'roundabout'. They are proud as they climb up and slide down a climbing frame. Older children delight in riding scooters and balance bicycles, showing great control and coordination. Indoors, children develop their fine motor skills by 'rolling', 'squeezing' and 'cutting' play dough as they create models. As a result, children develop confidence and strength in their physical development.
• Staff are skilful in supporting children's learning. They are clear about what they want their children to learn, and implement this well. For example, staff provide many opportunities for children to learn about early sounds to build on their early literacy skills. Children engage in circle time and learn to hear and identify initial sounds of objects by playing games. They identify sounds correctly and feel extremely happy when they receive praise. Others enjoy learning sounds that animals make. Staff introduce names of baby animals and use books to support learning. However, at times, staff do not always challenge the most-able children to help them make even better progress.
• Staff are positive role models and teach children about expectations, boundaries, turn-taking and sharing in an age-appropriate way. Children develop a kind and caring approach to each other and the world around them. They persevere in tidy-up tasks and work as a team. As a result, children behave very well and demonstrate they are happy and secure.
• Children enjoy the opportunities they have throughout the day to sing songs and rhymes. They join in with 'Hickory-Dickory Dock' and 'Old Macdonald' and say which animals they would like to sing about. Children suggest actions for the animals they have chosen, and they enthusiastically join in. For example, children 'flutter' like a butterfly and 'flap' like a unicorn. This helps children to develop their speech and language skills.
• Staff support children to make healthy choices. Children wash their hands before snack and lunchtime and find their names at the tables. Routines for children are embedded well. Children confidently communicate their preference as they ask for more snacks or drinks. However, staff do not fully promote children's independence during this time as they complete tasks for children that they are capable of doing for themselves.
• Parent partnerships are strong. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and say the staff 'really care' for their children. They feel very informed and receive daily updates, weekly newsletters and information online about their children's learning. Parents comment on the range of experiences and opportunities that are provided for their children. For example, they speak highly about planned outings, such as visits to a restaurant during Chinese New Year, to the local library, cathedral and parklands and how this has enhanced their children's knowledge.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide greater opportunities to challenge children further during activities by consistently responding to their individual learning needs
• strengthen the organisation of snack time to increase the opportunities for children to further develop their independence.