Branston Pre-School Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the pre-school eager to start their day. They are warmly welcomed by the staff and quickly become immersed in their play. Children form friendships with one another and build secure relationships with their key person and other staff. They enjoy playing and chatting together as they explore the role-play shop and pretend to buy food items. Children develop positive behaviours, such as sharing and taking turns. Staff help children to learn the language of emotions, which helps them to understand and articulate how they are feeling.

Children participate in group times to practise their concentration and listening skills. They learn about the weather and the days of the week during morning registration. Children take turns to take home the pre-school's cuddly toy called 'Saffron the Sloth'. They share their adventures from home with their friends and staff, which helps them to become confident to speak in group situations.

Children are supported in their independence and self-care skills. For example, they put on their own coats before going outside to play and wash their hands before eating. Children benefit from daily opportunities to play outdoors. They develop their core strength and coordination as they navigate large climbing apparatus, ride on tricycles and kick and throw balls. Children develop an awareness of the importance of making healthy food choices and the impact exercise has on their bodies. For instance, children have lots of fun as they energetically wave and twirl ribbons in the air. They place their hands over their hearts and recognise that their hearts are beating fast.

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

• The manager is ambitious and dedicated. She works closely with staff to provide a broad curriculum that is well-sequenced and reflects children's interests and their next steps in learning. Early screening tools are used effectively to help identify where additional support may be needed. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff benefit from regular supervisions that identify strengths and areas for professional development. Staff report that they are happy in their roles and feel supported by the manager. As a result, staff turnover is very low.
• Parent partnerships are strong. The manager and staff communicate daily with parents through face-to-face discussions and the use of an online learning journey. Feedback from parents is positive. They say they are extremely happy with the progress their children are making and value the quality of communication they receive.
• The manager is passionate about providing children with experiences that they may not otherwise have. For example, they plan visits to a zoo, the beach and local supermarkets, which helps children to develop an understanding of the world around them.
• The manager and staff recognise the importance of raising children's awareness of the diversity represented in modern Britain. Children learn about different festivals, such as Chinese New Year and Eid. They celebrate children's own heritage and invite parents into the setting to share their own cultures and traditions.
• Staff support children's communication and language development. They narrate their play, introduce new words and extend the flow of conversation. However, at times, staff provide solutions to problems or tell children what will happen next before they have had the opportunity to express their own thoughts and test out their ideas. This means that children do not consistently have opportunities to make predictions and develop their thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Children make choices on the direction of their play from a wide range of toys and resources in all rooms in the pre-school. However, in one of the rooms, the arrangement of tables and chairs limits the space available for children to move freely between activities and find the resources they need to build on their learning.
• Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. Children use tweezers and scissors with confidence and enjoy drawing pictures. They develop good pencil control and are beginning to form recognisable letters. Children proudly show off their artwork to staff and are rewarded with lots of praise and a sticker in recognition of their achievements.
• Staff help children to develop a love of singing and books. Children listen intently as staff read a story about a hungry caterpillar. They each have their own copy of book and follow the words with their finger from left to right, demonstrating their understanding that print carries meaning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of the learning environment to ensure that children have the space to move freely between activities they want to explore and build on their learning
• support staff further to provide more consistent opportunities for children to predict outcomes and develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.