Bright Horizons Southborough Woodlands Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide the children with a welcoming and engaging environment throughout the pre-school. They have very effective settling-in procedures in place. This helps children to become familiar with daily routines and form close relationships with staff. Children feel safe and happily investigate with their friends. For instance, the children take turns to build a tower using large blocks. There is great excitement as the children see how high they can build the tower before it tumbles. Staff skilfully incorporate mathematical language into children's play. For instance, the children are curious to determine who is taller than the tower.

Outside play is a high priority at the pre-school. Staff understand the importance of providing children with space to take managed risks in their play. For example, staff encourage children to have a go and learn new skills, such as riding bicycles and balancing on beams. The children negotiate their way around objects as they develop an awareness of how their bodies move and the space around them. They enjoy playing games. For instance, they take turns to hide pictures of elephants around the garden, ready for their friends to find. Staff have a strong focus on children's well-being. They support them to build resilience and develop their physical skills.

Staff make good use of props to engage children in story time. They encourage children to predict what will happen next in the story. For instance, children talk about which foods the caterpillar will eat next. Children gain a keen interest in literacy as they interact with books.

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

• Leaders and managers are committed to supporting children and their families. They constantly evaluate their practice and strive to provide high-quality care and education for all. Staff have extensive online training opportunities and attend regular staff meetings. This helps them to develop their already good knowledge and skills. Staff work exceptionally well together and state that they feel valued and supported in their role.
• The special educational needs coordinator works closely with staff, parents and other professionals to help support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Staff make exceptional use of picture cards to help support children to communicate their needs and wants. This helps to build children's confidence in communicating with others. The staff have high expectations for children to help ensure that all children reach their full potential.
• Positive relationships with parents are a definite strength of the pre-school. Staff ensure that parents receive regular communication. For instance, they upload information onto the online application and have face-to-face discussions with parents. Staff encourage parents to share information with them, such as a trip to the dentist. Staff incorporate these events into the pre-school curriculum. As a result, children receive support to help them learn how to deal with different situations and the emotions they might feel.
• Staff provide a focused curriculum based on children's next steps in learning. They offer children a wide range of child-focused and adult-led activities to engage children and develop their imagination. For instance, children make birthday cakes out of play dough. The staff help them to flatten the dough using a rolling pin. Children then cut the dough into shapes before placing it in a cake case. However, during some group activities, staff do not always make sure that there is a clear intent for children's learning. Consequently, an appropriate assessment of what the children have learned during some activities is uncertain.
• Staff are good role models who help children to develop their social skills. The children are keen to interact with others and share and take turns. For instance, children offer their friends their scissors so that they can take turns cutting the play dough. Staff use praise effectively to recognise children's achievements.
• Communication and language development is a strong focus at the pre-school. Staff ensure that children hear a rich variety of vocabulary to strengthen their language skills. For example, they talk to the children about the sweet and sour citrus fruit they are exploring in the water tray. However, at times, staff do not consistently give children enough time to think and respond to the questions they ask. For example, they provide the answer or move the conversation along too quickly before allowing children time to reply.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's understanding of the curriculum intent so that their teaching focuses on what they want children to learn
• provide children with more time to respond and think through their ideas to extend learning even further.