Buckland Beehive

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly arrive at the pre-school and staff welcome them warmly. Children have developed close bonds with staff and their peers. They feel safe and secure. Children are highly confident and are keen to talk to visitors about their experiences. For instance, children talk about how they grow various fruit and vegetables in the garden. They know strawberries are safe to eat when they have turned red.

Staff have high expectations for children's personal development. They provide opportunities for children to share their 'news' in the group. Children confidently talk about their visit to the local school and exciting events from home, such as a new baby in the family.

Children behave well. Staff help them to support one another during activities to encourage friendships. Children's manners are excellent. They spontaneously use 'please' and 'thank you' and all children ask to leave the table after mealtimes. Staff praise children often, helping to develop their self-esteem.

Since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the manager and staff have made changes to help children maintain social distancing. Children stand on carpet tiles that are equally spaced when waiting to wash their hands before meals. This helps to prevent the transmission of the virus.

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

• Parents are highly complimentary about the care and education the pre-school provides. They state how the pre-school 'nurtures inquisitive minds', and talk about how children's character and confidence have grown since attending. Staff provide parents with information on children's development and how to support children's learning at home. Children borrow books from the pre-school to take home. This encourages their early reading skills.
• Children have a strong understanding of the world around them. Older children find out how plastic is hurting the sea creatures in the ocean. Younger children enjoy making 'rock pools' using shells, pebbles and materials. Children collect litter in the local community with staff and learn about recycling.
• Staff support children's language very well. They plan specific sessions to help children form sentences and pronounce letter sounds. For example, children strengthen their mouth muscles by blowing toy chicks through a straw. They then identify objects through fun and interactive games. This encourages children to develop good communication skills.
• Children make good progress from their starting points. Staff ensure they provide rich learning experiences to help children move forward to their next stage of learning, such as purchasing new books to encourage children to maintain attention when listening to stories.
• The manager has developed effective strategies to help improve the quality of staff teaching. She regularly observes staff and provides them with quality feedback to adapt their teaching methods. Frequent training and the supervision process have enhanced staff knowledge. This helps to ensure they meet children's individual needs well.
• Children have good opportunities to be active. Older children enjoy digging holes in the garden and filling them with water. They drop small balls into the holes and talk about whether they will float or sink. Younger children enjoy cleaning toy cars with toothbrushes. This encourages them to strengthen their finger muscles to get ready for writing. However, staff do not provide enough experiences for older children, and for those children who learn best outside, to practise their writing skills in preparation for school.
• Staff help children to understand and manage their emotions effectively. They read stories about different feelings and encourage children to talk about these. For instance, children talk about how they would find a friend if they felt alone.
• Children enjoy learning about nature. They talk enthusiastically about hatching chicks and watching tadpoles turn into frogs. Children show interest in observing caterpillars turning into butterflies. They use this knowledge well, for example by making butterfly houses with cardboard boxes.
• Staff ensure children become familiar with the school environment. Children take part in swimming sessions in the school pool with staff. They enjoy sailing boats in the nearby stream with the Reception children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide further opportunities for older children to practise and develop their early writing skills, to encourage literacy development in preparation for their move to school.