Brightside Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm welcome from staff as they arrive and show that they are eager to attend. Staff gather a wealth of information from parents about children's care needs and prior learning during bespoke settling-in sessions. They use this information well to plan a meaningful child-focused curriculum. All children make good progress. Staff consistently build on children's communication and language skills. They sing children's favourite songs with immense enthusiasm and bring the songs to life with puppets. This motivates children to join in with the words and actions. Staff use basic sign language and skilfully adapt how they speak to each child to match their level of understanding. They sensitively support children's correct pronunciation of words.

Children show that they are happy and feel secure. They clap and laugh with delight as they knock down the towers they construct from blocks. Children relish staff's nurturing cuddles when needed. During some periods of the day, children of all ages play together. This helps children to transition smoothly between rooms as they develop early relationships with a wider range of staff. Young children enjoy exploring the sensations of bark and cooked spaghetti with their hands. Older children learn to solve mathematical problems, such as creating patterns using different-sized toy bears. Staff frequently praise children for their efforts, which motivates them to remain engaged and keep on trying.

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

• Leaders are reflective on the provision they provide and support their staff team members to continue to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff benefit from supervision meetings to support them in their roles. Their individual training needs are prioritised. As a result of recent training, staff have built on their practice to enhance children's mathematical skills. New methods are shared with the entire team to ensure a consistent approach.
• Staff encourage children to become confident to make choices about what to play with and carry out some responsibilities. Children develop a secure understanding about the importance of following a good hygiene routine. However, there are some inconsistencies in the arrangements to support children to be independent individuals. This is because staff complete tasks for children without recognising the benefit of encouraging them to attempt these for themselves. For example, they do not challenge children to manage their outer clothing or self-care.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to provide children with personalised support plans and implement individual strategies to help them make the best possible progress. Any additional funding the pre-school receives is used well to support children's individual needs.
• Staff promote children's healthy lifestyles well. Children learn to assess their own risks and build on their strength and balance in the outdoor environment. They carefully negotiate walking on large tree stumps positioned at different angles and have a wonderful time jumping in muddy puddles. Younger children persevere to climb in an out of a ball pool. Weekly tennis coaching sessions help children develop and refine their ball control skills. Staff teach children the importance of good oral health and eating healthy food. Outings to the local market enable children to develop an understanding of the wider world and select different fruit to eat, such as a pomegranate. This helps to broaden children's tastes.
• Older children are beginning to understand how they are feeling and why through discussions with staff. The effective use of soft toys linked to books that explore emotions serves as a valuable resource for children to express their emotions. Some staff provide children with reminders to share resources and not to climb on furniture so that they remain safe. However, when children do not display positive behaviour, staff do not always help them to understand the behavioural expectations in place or explain why certain actions are not appropriate towards others.
• Staff implement a varied and sequenced curriculum that enables children to be in control of their own learning through their individual interests. They regularly assess children's progress to precisely identify what they need to learn next.
• Staff work in close partnership with parents. They keep them well informed about their children's learning and time at the pre-school. Staff speak to them at drop off and collection times and add photos and comments of children's achievements to an online platform. Parents are warmly invited to stay-and-play sessions and regular events. They appreciate the ideas that staff provide to aid their children's learning at home. Parents describe the staff team as 'incredibly warm and nurturing,' yet also 'professional'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen opportunities for children to further develop their independence and do things for themselves
• support children to gain a better understanding of the impact their behaviour may have on others.