Bright Blocks Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the setting. They receive an enthusiastic greeting from staff, who ask them about their Christmas break and support them to hang up their coats and bags. Children have secure attachments with staff. They hold staff's hands and walk into the setting, waving goodbye to their parents and carers. Leaders at the setting have thoughtfully designed a broad and ambitious curriculum to support the needs of all children attending. All children, even those that are new to the setting, settle quickly at an activity that captures their imagination.

Children's behaviour is good. Staff are positive role models to children. They say 'please' and 'thank you' when speaking with children, and children repeat this in their interactions with each other. Children develop close friendships with others. They begin to work together, such as problem-solving to complete a large sea animal puzzle. Staff support children to be independent. At snack time, they encourage children to cut their bananas into smaller pieces and peel their own oranges. Staff teach children techniques for how to put on their own coats ready for the garden. The support for children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is excellent. Staff make timely referrals to ensure that children receive the specialist support they need.

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

• Leaders are reflective. They constantly evaluate what works well within the setting and what could be improved. For example, leaders recognised that circle time was not meeting the needs of all children, so they have adapted this to a short interactive welcome session. Children now eagerly hold onto a piece of fabric as they march around the room on the 'welcome train', singing good morning to all their friends.
• Staff know children well. They understand the needs of children with SEND and that the curriculum and routine of the day needs to be flexible to meet the needs of all children. All children have next steps in learning in place, which help them to achieve what it is they need to learn next.
• Overall, the curriculum for communication and language is good. Staff use various methods to support children's language development. This includes using repetition, singing songs and providing a narrative to children's play. For children with SEND or who speak English as an additional language, staff have lanyards with picture cues to help children to communicate their needs. However, for older children, staff often ask closed questions. This means that children answer in the one or two words needed, rather than sharing their ideas and opinions in more meaningful conversations.
• Staff develop children's early literacy skills by reading stories in an engaging manner that attracts and maintains children's attention. Children sit closely and join in with familiar refrains. They anticipate what happens next. For example, children explain that the big bad wolf will blow the house down.
• The setting makes use of their location within the local community to visit the library and enjoy story sessions led by the librarians. Children also visit the local woods to explore and look at changes in nature. Staff use the natural environment to bring stories to life for children. For instance, they help children to build 'houses' with sticks like in the story of 'The Three Little Pigs' or hunt for characters from 'The Gruffalo'.
• The setting has golden rules in place, such as 'kind hands' and 'walking feet'. Children can recite these when shown picture cards. However, in practice, staff do not always help children to understand why these rules are in place and what might happen if they do not follow them. For example, as children climb up the slide the wrong way or run around the tables chasing each other, they are told to stop as it is not safe. Staff do not support children to understand the reasons why.
• Partnership with parents is good. Parents describe how approachable the staff team are and that the environment for children is very calm and relaxed. Parents feel that staff keep them up to date well with how their children are progressing. Staff provide regular updates on an online app, as well as through verbal handovers each day and regular parent meetings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's knowledge around asking more effective questions to further develop children's communication and language skills
• consider how to further promote children's understanding of why certain processes are in place to keep them and others safe and healthy.