Burbage Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome families into the setting and help children to settle quickly. Staff in each area organise activities that immediately engage and interest children, so they enter with smiles on their faces, eager to start exploring. Staff have high expectations of all children, follow their interests and value their ideas and suggestions. For example, staff involve children in decision-making and ask them if they would like a story or to make music during group circle time. Children put up their hands to indicate their preference.

Children are fully encouraged to develop their independence skills. They learn to take care of their own needs, such as toileting, handwashing and blowing their nose. This helps children to develop skills they will need when they start school. Staff gently support younger children and skilfully involve them in daily routines. For example, staff in the baby room show children the food choices on offer at snack time. Staff model and repeat words clearly, saying, 'Would you like raspberry or strawberry?', and they point to the fruits as they say the words. Babies delight in making their own choices and picking out the fruits they want to try. Staff give children lots of praise and encouragement, which helps children to foster positive attitudes and develop their self-esteem. Children mirror this in their own play as they praise and clap the efforts of their friends.

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

• Children engage positively with their learning. Staff know children well and plan activities that are meaningful, interest them and help them to make progress. For example, staff build on children's excitement about Red Nose Day by providing a variety of activities. Children join in creative activities with enthusiasm, making paper plate faces and delighting in exploring paint, glue and glitter. They learn how to decorate cookies, using their physical skills to spread red icing sugar and carefully count out the number of sweets they need.
• Staff communicate well with parents and regularly share information about children's progress and development. Parents comment that their children are supported to build 'amazing relationships'. Parents value staff taking an interest in children's activities at home and praise the opportunities that staff provide for children to learn about nature during regular walks.
• Staff are well trained. They have a secure understanding of how to plan and deliver an effective curriculum that meets the needs of all children and supports their development. Staff organise indoor areas effectively to enable children to independently access a wide range of learning experiences. However, they do not always fully consider what activities or games are available outside to interest and engage children.
• Leaders and managers have built a strong and committed team. The staff share their knowledge and expertise to enable all children to achieve and enjoy their learning experiences. Staff comment that they feel very well supported by managers and they are provided with regular opportunities to develop their skills through further training.
• Children communicate confidently and are developing a wide vocabulary through their interactions with staff and stimulating activities. For example, children are thrilled to meet a nurse who is invited into the setting to talk to children about her job. They are keen to ask questions and quickly start to use the new words they have learned. They have fun using words such as 'bandage', 'thermometer' and 'stethoscope' as they role play being nurses, doctors and patients.
• Children behave well and develop good manners and social skills. These skills are particularly well promoted at snack times and mealtimes. Staff interact effectively with children and are good role models, gently guiding children to make positive choices during their play. However, at times when pre-school children are transitioning from one activity to another, staff do not always respond quickly enough to support children in managing their own behaviour and to prevent noise levels from rising.
• Staff skilfully foster children's love of books and storytelling. They capture children's attention by making story time an enjoyable and interactive activity. Children listen intently and are eager to talk about the characters and predict what will happen next. Children extend this enjoyment throughout the day by selecting books to look at independently or to read with a friend.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consider the organisation of some routines in pre-school so all children remain engaged and are guided to regulate their own behaviour
• extend the range of outdoor experiences to engage children's interest and further support their learning in all areas.