Broughton Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a warm and welcoming environment. Children happily enter the setting and independently put their belongings away. Staff encourage children to self-register by expressing their emotions. For example, children put their name in the feeling bags labelled happy, sad, calm, scared or angry. If children express sadness, staff are quick to provide support. For instance, staff play alongside them, give them a cuddle and listen to them while they explain why. Children's personal development is strong.

All staff have high expectations for children's learning and development. They follow an ambitious curriculum which they carefully plan for together. Each half-term they plan with specific focuses in mind based on a book, celebration or interest. Staff challenge children to further develop their skills. They extend children's knowledge, provide further challenge and encourage problem solving. For example, children use tweezers to move objects from one container to another. Staff then support children to time how long it would take them to complete. Children then repeat the activity to see if they could do it faster than before. Children have a wealth of opportunities to develop their skills.

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

• Leaders support staff effectively at the setting. Staff have opportunities to expand on their professional development, such as by attending relevant training to strengthen their teaching. For example, staff attend training to help them understand development, encourage exploratory and imaginative play, and support children's communication and language. Staff meet regularly to plan for the children and to stay up to date on safeguarding matters. The staff work extremely well as a team, supporting each other and communicating well. They reflect on their practice and have high standards of teaching. All staff are enthusiastic and love working at this pre-school.
• Children enjoy their time at the setting. They demonstrate a love for learning, which staff promote. For example, they happily play alongside each other, taking turns and accessing activities at their own desire. Generally, children behave well, and older children show they understand the class rules. However, at times, staff do not support all children fully effectively to understand the impact their behaviour has on others. For example, although staff sometimes remind children to be kind and show respect, this is not consistent. This does not help all children gain a secure understanding of the importance of positive behaviour.
• Communication and language skills are strong. Staff understand the importance communication and language has on all areas of development. Children learn new words, such as 'danger', 'fragile' and 'fierce' while learning about animals from around the world. Staff encourage children to play alongside each other, using their language skills to do this. For example, children play a game together where they have to describe the position of animals. Children explain to their peers what the animal is doing in the picture and use the props to copy this. For instance, children explain that the fox is on top of the log. Children have good social skills and they communicate well.
• Staff teach children about different cultures in a range of ways. Children have access to multicultural toys and equipment, including foods. The setting has a partnership with a school in Uganda. They have been comparing toys from both settings. For example, children learned that children in Uganda make their own toys, such as footballs. They have also explored music from all over the world. The provider involves families in their child's learning. For example, parents share photos of holidays and traditions through an online system. Children's knowledge about the world around them is growing.
• Staff are aware of children's needs and meet these needs with ease. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported and progressing well. Staff carry out different tasks to ensure all children achieve. Children learn through copying staff and repeating activities. For instance, children can now retell their favourite story whilst using Makaton. All children get equal opportunities to succeed in their learning and progress well in their development.
• Transitions are very smooth. Children settle quickly and build strong bonds with their key person. The staff work with schools to ensure a smooth transition from the pre-school. Staff listen to feedback from those schools to adapt their teaching. For example, they have learned that children have been struggling to hold a pencil when they start school, so staff plan activities to strengthen children's hands. For example, they have focused on activities where children use one handed tools and manipulate materials. This helps develop children's skills ready for the next stage of their learning.
• Staff have great relationships with children's families. Parents feel supported and praise the forms of communication. Parents find the staff approachable and admire the hard work they put in to care for their children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop a fully consistent approach to managing behaviour, so that children understand the impact their behaviour has on others.