Burpham Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children excitedly enter the pre-school for the day ahead. They are safe and secure and display a very firm sense of belonging. Children have good bonds with all staff members who are kind and attentive. Each child is viewed as a unique individual and this helps children to have confidence in their own characteristics of learning. Children feel valued and respected through the genuine interest that the staff team take in speaking to the children each day. Children behave well and are able to manage their own emotions and are starting to recognise the needs of others around them. They are very independent in all aspects of their own self-care. For instance, children dress themselves for outside play and happily put on their slippers for indoor play with little or no help. Children are building high levels of resilience and important social skills for their future learning.

Children are learning about their immediate community and the wider world around them. They enjoy planned activities, such as learning about other countries. This helps children to build an understanding of the differences and similarities in themselves and others. Children enjoy many opportunities to be physically active. For example, they have the freedom to use wheeled items in the garden or use balance beams indoors. This helps children to have access to fresh air and exercise to support their overall well-being.

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

• The leadership within the pre-school is strong. All staff have a good level of understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They are enthusiastic and passionate about ensuring that each and every child has the best possible early years experience. Staff receive regular supervisions and training to support their practice, to become more reflective in how they can strengthen opportunities for their assigned key children.
• Children are articulate and are starting to use their memory and recall skills. For example, they are able to beautifully describe how a volcano erupts hot lava. Staff recognise the importance of working alongside children to help them to become confident speakers. However, occasionally, staff use closed questions which does not fully support children to use their increasing range of words, to build even further on their communication skills.
• Staff plan an ambitious curriculum which keeps children motivated and enthralled learners. A lot of time is taken in planning activities and resources provided for children's play and learning. The setting use self-evaluation effectively to constantly build on current strengths and quickly identify areas for improvement. Leaders gather the views of children, staff and parents to help inform further areas for change.
• Staff introduce early mathematics during the day to build on children's increasing abilities. For instance, children use their own problem-solving skills to figure out what items to use to build a tall tower with cardboard tubes. Children learn about weight and volume as they play in the sand tray, emptying and filling different sized containers. Younger children complete jigsaw puzzles by exploring with patterns and shapes.
• Children are building a love of stories and singing. They immerse themselves into music time, joining in with action songs as a staff member plays the accordion. Children enjoy sitting with staff to listen to a story and are able to recall their favourite parts and characters. However, the environment does not provide younger children with easy access to books, or a space to sit quietly to read independently away from the busy areas of the pre-school.
• Staff carefully watch the progress of children. They are able to quickly identify potential gaps in their learning to provide additional support if required. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who receive additional funding and children who have English as an additional language make encouraging progress. Leaders successfully share information with other professionals and this help to provide a more targeted approach to help children to reach their fullest potential.
• Partnerships with parents are a particular strength of the setting. Every effort is taken to continually build good relationships and open ways of communication, to involve parents in their children's development and achievements. Parents are very complimentary of the time and immense effort staff members take to discuss their child's day at pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further promote children's communication and language skills by using open-ended questions that encourage children to use their increasing range of words
• review the organisation of the environment to provide younger children with a quiet area and independent access to books.