Bright Start Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and are eager to enter the pre-school. Staff have high expectations for children, who are very sociable with each other and the staff team. Staff encourage children to share experiences from home with their peers. For example, they discuss real life events, such as taking care when crossing roads as they walk to the pre-school. Children feel safe and secure and are extremely confident in this warm and loving environment. Staff genuinely enjoy their time with the children, who demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in this pre-school.

Children benefit from a range of exciting play opportunities, which helps them to make good progress in their learning and development. They have a positive attitude to learning and are eager to explore. All children are inquisitive as they develop a sense of the world around them.

Children behave well, take turns with others during play and are well mannered. Staff are positive role models. They set good examples and provide clear explanations to support children's understanding of positive behaviour. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who receive additional funding are supported very well. Where necessary, they are given the high levels of attention and support they need. Any gaps in learning close quickly.

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

• During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the pre-school closed during a period of national lockdown. When the children returned to pre-school, staff assessed children's learning to find out if there had been any delays in their development. Staff complete regular observations and assessments to ensure they look at what the children know and what they need to learn next. The manager closely checks staff assessments and how they are used to ensure that all children make good progress, including those children with SEND.
• Parents praise the quality of care their children receive. They appreciate how the manager and staff have kept in touch during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff use social media and private messaging to keep them informed about what is happening at the pre-school. However, children's next steps in learning are not effectively shared with parents to enable them to extend and complement children's learning and development at home.
• Children benefit from a large garden, which is well organised. Children learn about nature through their own exploration. They water the tomatoes and green beans they have planted and excitedly talk about the hedgehogs they feed. Children's excitement outdoors is infectious. They smile and laugh as they play and learn. The support for children with SEND is a strong feature in the setting. For example, children learn to use sign language and work closely with their key person to work towards targets.
• Staff provide engaging opportunities for children to practise their early writing skills. They make learning fun. For example, staff encourage children to freely paint using large arm movements, making large circular and up and down movements. Older children write their name and learn about sounds and the letters they represent.
• The manager has a very good understanding of what the pre-school does well and what it needs to do better. She has a clear plan in place to develop and improve further. Staff well-being is a priority for the manager. This is done through regular supervision meetings. Staff feel well supported and understood by leaders.
• Good routines and safe, healthy care practices help children to remain well. Children practise regular hand washing. Older children are independent in managing their own self-care. Staff provide gentle reminders to all children during play to remember what they need to do to stay safe and healthy.
• Children are learning to take calculated risks in their play. For instance, they hold each other's hands as they run down a grassy hill and excitedly run fast with streamers flapping behind them. Children have many opportunities to develop and build on their physical development. For instance, children skilfully ride trikes, climb, balance and negotiate large equipment.
• Overall, staff support children's emerging language skills well. For example, they describe young children's play and encourage children to talk about what they are doing. They help to extend children's vocabulary by introducing new words and repetition. However, at times, staff are not as skilful in supporting children to develop their thinking skills. For instance, when staff ask children questions, they do not always give children time to think and make a response.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the information shared with parents even further to help support children's learning even more consistently at home and at the setting
• create more opportunities to challenge children's thinking and reasoning skills.