Brightwell Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive a warm, friendly welcome as they arrive. They demonstrate a good understanding of the expectations as they hang up their bags and remove their shoes before coming inside. Staff have high expectations for all children and, generally, support their learning well. Warm relationships between staff and children help children to develop a strong sense of belonging. Children show that they feel safe, secure and are ready to learn. Staff teach children about kindness and respect, which contributes to their good behaviour.

Children learn how to stay safe, taking controlled risks throughout the day. For example, they confidently climb up a large grassy bank and run down the other side shrieking with joy. Staff praise their achievements and children repeat the activity, showing obvious pride in their success.

Children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive individual, tailored support. Their needs are well met. Staff actively engage and share information with other professionals, support parents and help to ensure children reach their full potential.

Children are offered good opportunities to be part of, and find out about, their own community. Their own experiences are broadened, as they make regular trips to the park, shops and allotments. They also visit the local duck pond, where they learn about maps and directions.

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

• Partnerships with parents are very good. Parents share information with staff about children's interests and abilities each term. Staff use this information to incorporate into their individual planning for each child and share this with parents. Parents understand what their children need to achieve next and how to extend on their learning at home. They comment that the pre-school is 'home-from-home' and staff are attentive to children's individual care needs. They feel that their children make good progress in their learning.
• The manager and staff have created an exciting curriculum that encourages children to develop in all seven areas of the early years foundation stage, indoors and outdoors. Children creatively use props to support their imagination. They dress themselves in role-play costumes, create stories around their play and invite others to play with them. Children create models of dragons using malleable materials. They talk about dragons breathing fire and roll out sausage shapes with their hands for legs. They proudly tell others about what they have made.
• Staff use their knowledge of the children and their experiences to plan appropriate, inspiring activities. For example, children enjoy joining in with 'The Bear Hunt'. They act out the story doing the actions and making the sounds for the different areas in the story. Staff join children as they play and engage them in discussions about what they are doing. However, staff sometimes do not fully stretch and challenge children's vocabulary and mathematical skills during play activities.
• Leaders have a clear intent of what they want children to learn. Staff are skilled at sequencing children's learning. Overall, their quality of teaching is good. However, on occasion, staff do not plan group activities or organise routines to ensure that all children are consistently engaged in meaningful learning.
• Staff build strong relationships with the children. Key persons know children's personal preferences and interests well. Staff gather detailed information from parents when children start, so that they have a good understanding of children's starting points and how to meet their individual needs.
• Children with SEND are supported very well. Care plans are in place and are well understood by key persons. Staff signpost parents to local support services, where appropriate. The manager has undertaken a relevant qualification to further strengthen this work.
• Staff encourage children to have a go as they pour their own drinks and manage their own lunch boxes. The wide curriculum, which takes account of children's interests, helps them to secure the skills they will need in preparation for their next stage of learning and when the time comes, for school.
• Staff work well together as a team. They feel valued and respected by management and are encouraged to attend tailored training to support them with the skills they need in their role. For example, staff have attended training to enable children to self-regulate their behaviour and supporting children with toilet training. n

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the planning and organisation of group activities and routines to ensure that all children are engaged in meaningful learning
• develop staff interactions with children during play, so that they consistently stretch and challenge children in their learning.