Buttercups Pre-School Cio

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages exhibit a sense of comfort and well-being in this welcoming pre-school environment. They arrive with enthusiasm and are greeted by dedicated staff members. Children promptly engage with a variety of activities available in the room. They establish meaningful connections with the staff, which fosters strong attachments. These bonds support the development of children's confidence and emotional security, enabling them to fully benefit from the learning opportunities provided.

Children participate in various learning activities throughout the day. They engage in role play outdoors, collaboratively building walls with blocks alongside their peers and staff. They practise taking turns while constructing a wall in the playhouse using blocks. Children use tools, such as drills, to secure the wooden frame. They verbally describe their actions, such as stating, 'We are drilling.'

Staff truly nurture the children in their care. They place a high priority on children's emotional security and show genuine care for each child. For instance, they give cuddles and share stories with children in cosy book areas. This supports children's emotional well-being and helps them to feel secure and happy. Children display good levels of independence. For example, they collect their own coats from the cloakroom, put them on before going outside and hang them back up when they return inside. They are encouraged to use the toilet independently and follow good hygiene practices, such as washing their hands before eating snack.

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

• Staff develop children's communication and language skills effectively. Staff use strategies appropriate to the developmental stages of children. For example, they use descriptive language, simple sentences and commentary. This helps children to develop good communication and language skills. For example, children are encouraged to draw shapes in oats using their fingers, with staff using single words such as 'circle', 'square' and 'triangle' to describe the shapes they make.
• Staff are keen for children to learn about the world around them and the people in their local community. For example, they were recently visited by a police officer, where they learned about people who help us. The pre-school has also developed strong relationships with local schools. For instance, class teachers come to visit the children in pre-school. This positively supports children's transitions from pre-school to primary school.
• The pre-school reflects the diverse cultures of the children who attend. This helps children to feel seen, valued and included, boosting their self-esteem, sense of identity and belonging. It also encourages respect for diversity. Children build positive social skills and thrive in a rich learning environment. They learn from each other.
• The staff are committed to promoting healthy living. Recently, they have introduced snacks to support healthier options and provide children with a variety of fruits. Staff encourage parents to prepare healthy packed lunches for their children. As a result, children learn the importance of maintaining their health and taking care of their bodies.
• The management team ensures that staff have a comprehensive understanding of their safeguarding roles, responsibilities and the appropriate procedures to follow in the event of any concerns regarding a child or adult, through ongoing training and staff meetings. They maintain a safe and secure environment for children. Moreover, the management team supports staff's professional development through regular supervision meetings. Although staff's practice is observed and training opportunities are discussed, leaders have not considered further ways to sharpen processes to help staff improve their teaching skills and practice to a consistently high level.
• Partnership working with parents is excellent. Information is regularly shared to ensure parents have a fully up-to-date understanding of their child's progress. Staff work closely with parents and other agencies to ensure children and families get any additional help and support in the quickest time possible. This highly effective two-way communication provides consistency for the children between home and the pre-school.
• Although staff place a high focus on supporting children's communication and language development, they do not always understand how background distractions can affect children's ability to listen, hear and concentrate.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop the already good practice, supporting staff to consistently develop their teaching skills to an even higher level
• support staff in recognising the impact background noise has on young children's communication and language development.