Busy Fingers Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children play and learn happily together. They choose activities and resources that interest them, helping to promote new learning opportunities. Staff repeat activities over a number of days, helping to ensure that all children who attend the pre-school have time to join in. As a result, all children experience memorable and fun adult-led activities to help them build on what they already know and understand. For example, small groups of children take turns to make egg and cress sandwiches. They listen intently to the instructions and tips staff give them to help them peel and mash hard-boiled eggs. Staff remind them how they cracked and mixed raw eggs in a different activity. This helps children see and describe the differences that they recall, contributing to their understanding of cause and effect.

Staff plan a sequenced curriculum that they adjust to suit the precise learning needs of different children. There is a clear focus to support children to learn to play and work together. Staff help them to begin to recognise and regulate their feelings and actions and build on their vocabularies to help them become articulate and confident individuals. Children know they are able to use sand timers to help them manage minor disputes about sharing and taking turns. Staff support other children to move away from situations they feel frustrated about, allowing them time to become calm and ready to learn once more. This contributes to the industrious and harmonious environment.

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

• Since their last inspection, leaders and staff have worked hard to fully embed effective strategies to help support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Professionals and agencies who work with named children visit the pre-school. They pass on important information and demonstrate skills that enable staff to plan how to close any gaps in children's learning. As a result, all children in the pre-school make good progress in their learning.
• Staff talk to children about food that is nutritious. They check to see if children remember the name of the fruit they are going to eat at snack time and talk about the reasons why this food is good for them. Children readily wash their hands at appropriate times throughout the day and recognise when they need to hydrate with water. As a result, children begin to adopt a positive attitude towards health and hygiene.
• Staff build good relationships with parents. They find out key information about children's health to make sure they keep safe and well at pre-school. Parents describe what children can already do and understand and what they enjoy. This helps staff incorporate familiar resources to support children to settle in the pre-school when they first attend. Children quickly build strong and trusting relationships with staff. This helps them feel secure in their care.
• Staff use the space within the pre-school well. For example, they set out activities to help support children's growing language skills in a quiet room. This helps children focus on their listening skills in addition to practising speaking in a small group. This contributes to the effective closing of any gaps in children's communication and language skills.
• The well-qualified team are motivated to continue to develop their professional knowledge and understanding. Leaders plan meaningful meetings that focus on different aspects of education and practice to help enhance the quality of care and education within the pre-school. Leaders ensure that any updates or changes in local or national strategies and standards are communicated to staff. When the time comes, staff work with other professionals and staff from the neighbouring school to help maintain continuity in children's education and well-being. This helps to make transitions to the next stage in children's education run as smoothly as possible.
• Staff facilitate a good balance between adult-led and children's self-chosen activities. Children practise the skills they need in readiness for school, such as using scissors and fastening clothing. This helps to support children's physical and personal development. However, the enthusiastic staff are so keen to help children that they do not always encourage children to develop their own thinking skills. As a result, some children do not spontaneously use their creativity to solve problems, find different ways of completing tasks or predict outcomes for themselves.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• encourage children to develop their skills to solve problems, predict outcomes and find different ways of doing things for themselves.