Buttons @ Great Linford

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children spend their day exploring and discovering with awe and wonder in this joyful pre-school. They excel in their development as they access an extremely exciting and well-sequenced curriculum. The incredibly knowledgeable and professional staff know the children remarkably well. They recognise and nurture their unique personalities and individual interests. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), flourish and blossom. They are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage in learning.

Staff inspire children to love learning together. They create excellent opportunities to ignite children's curiosity and build detailed and in-depth knowledge. For instance, children are fascinated to find out what has happened to the seeds they have previously planted. They eagerly explain that, with light and water, the seeds will grow into sycamore trees. Children examine the roots and stems as they discuss how these sprout. They delight in demonstrating why the seeds are known as helicopters as they throw them up and watch them spin to the ground. Staff encourage the children to use reference books to research the different types of trees and extend their understanding even further. Children develop a rich and varied vocabulary. They use new words to express what they know with confidence. Children listen to staff and their friends with genuine interest. They develop superb communication and social skills as they play and work together.

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

• Staff are excellent role models. They fully immerse themselves in joining in with children's play. They follow children's lead as they pretend to be characters and act out scenarios. Staff join in with children, and they have a fabulous time climbing and moving around the space. They encourage children to be physically active and to reap the benefits of being outdoors in the fresh air.
• Leaders provide excellent support for children with SEND. They have highly effective systems to identify any emerging needs and put in place early interventions. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinators work in close partnership with external agencies to ensure targeted plans are followed. They support children's key persons to understand the specific needs of each child, ensuring that children achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Staff provide a vast array of experiences for children to get involved with their local community and understand the world around them. For instance, children give their food waste to a local allotment to be used as compost and get vegetables back to use in the pre-school. Children talk to archaeologists about the work they are doing nearby and begin to develop an understanding of different jobs and roles adults have. Children learn about the importance of helping others as they take part in fundraising events, such as donating winter coats to a local charity to support families in need.
• Staff have extremely high expectations of children's behaviour. Children behave impeccably well. They are highly considerate and aware of each other's feelings and needs. For instance, staff encourage children to take turns as they cross a bridge and jump from platforms they have created together. Children take pride in telling staff that they are 'being patient' as they wait to have a go. They listen carefully to staff and safely bend their knees as they practise jumping and different ways of moving across the equipment.
• Staff use highly effective methods to support children to express their emotions. For example, every morning, children place their name next to a picture of a happy or sad face to let staff know how they are feeling. When children express that they feel sad, staff take time to identify how they can help them and give them the reassurance and loving care they need to feel better.
• Leaders are passionate about ensuring the pre-school fully includes every child and family. The manager meticulously considers how any additional funding can be best spent on resources that benefit individual children. They care deeply about making sure every child has access to the support they need.
• Partnerships with parents are excellent. When children settle into the nursery, staff get to know each family well. They give each child the time they need to form secure attachments and for parents to develop trusting relationships with a key person. Staff gather a wealth of information from parents and learn about each child. They continue to share children's progress and encourage parents to continue children's learning at home.
• The level of training and professional development that staff access is outstanding. The owner is passionate about investing in her staff to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to deliver the highest quality of education and care that they possibly can. Staff report high levels of well-being and are absolutely dedicated to their roles as educators.