Bretton Community Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy attending this welcoming pre-school. They skip to their rooms and smile as they greet staff, ready to start their day. Staff are kind, caring and get to know their children well. Children are well behaved and caring towards each other. To keep safe, they know only one person at a time can use the trampoline, and they wait their turn patiently. Children develop good physical skills, such as when they climb, jump and balance on the outdoor play equipment. They use large paintbrushes and water to make marks on the wall. They develop their imagination well, for example when they pretend to cook in the outdoor play kitchen. Children enjoy the time spent outdoors.

Children are beginning to make sense of the world. They show curiosity as they watch a chick hatch from an egg. They know they need to be quiet around the chick, so as not to frighten it. Children make comparisons between themselves and the chick. They talk about needing warmth, food and water to live a healthy life. Children develop good communication and language skills. They listen to stories that staff read with enthusiasm. Children show good levels of attention and develop a love of books. They join in when staff sing familiar nursery rhymes and songs, showing that they remember key words and phrases. Children show a good level of independence; they cut fruit, pour their own water and ready the room for lunch.

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

• The manager and staff team have a clear curriculum that is well thought out. Staff say that they receive support from the manager to develop their professional knowledge. To help to support children's speech development, senior staff attended training on how to assess children's early language skills and implement targeted support.
• Children are happy and confident in the pre-school. Staff recognise that for children to develop their early writing skills, they need lots of rich opportunities for physical play. Children learn to balance, control their muscles and enjoy running around outdoors in the fresh air.
• Staff help children to develop new skills and complete difficult tasks. For example, when a child sees another do a 'roly poly', staff help the children to learn by breaking down the skills and steps needed to complete it. Children show determination and have time to practise until they succeed in completing the tumble.
• All children make good progress. Leaders consider how to spend additional funding, to ensure it has the most impact for children. The provision in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Leaders work with parents and external professionals to make referrals and review children's development. This helps children catch up with their peers.
• Although staff talk to children as they play, they are not always ambitious to build children's language and understanding. For example, staff do not always provide younger children with correct words. Sometimes, during story time, staff do not explain new words well enough to help children develop understanding and build a wide vocabulary. At times, staff do not give children enough time to answer questions and share their ideas.
• Children learn about emotions and are building increasing levels of self-control. Staff help children to resolve any minor conflicts as they play. For example, staff help children to consider how they each feel when they find it tricky to share toys and resources. Staff successfully help children to find solutions and play cooperatively together.
• Staff work well in partnership with parents. Parents say that they feel well informed about their children's learning. They provide very positive comments about their children's experiences at the pre-school.
• Staff follow children's lead in play and sensitively join in. However, they tend to follow routines closely and do not always adapt their practice to meet the needs of the youngest children. Sometimes, the group activities are too large and lengthy for younger children who are still learning to follow set routines.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's understanding and practice of how to help children develop a wide and varied vocabulary and give children time to think and share their ideas
• build staff's understanding of how to meet younger children's needs, particularly when planning group activities.