Buttons@Stony Stratford

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and their families are at the centre of this exceptionally welcoming setting, in which all children thrive. Staff are highly committed to providing extremely high-quality levels of care and education. They truly nurture the children in their care. The exceedingly warm, trusting relationships between staff and children are immediately evident. Children are eager to enter the setting and enjoy playing and learning along with their friends. They enjoy playing inside and become thoroughly engrossed as they take on roles and develop their imaginations. For example, staff join in with their play as children pretend to be builders, donning hard hats and carrying their working tools in their toolbox.

Children's behaviour is impeccable. Staff are exemplary role models, showing respect to the children and each other. They use clear narratives, are consistent and use gentle reminders to fully embed Buttons' golden rules. Children listen. They respond with immense kindness when turn-taking and sharing. Staff support children with a range of tools to support good behaviour, such as sand timers, visual timetables and the more recent addition of the sensory room. This is highly effective in supporting children who may need additional help in regulating their emotions.

Leaders and staff plan and implement an inspirational curriculum with children at the very heart. Their precise knowledge of children's abilities enables them to adapt their strong teaching to meet children's targeted needs. For example, children who love outside dig to find a range of insects, including beetles, ants, millipedes and centipedes. This leads to rich conversations about the insects, how to care for them and how they differ. Staff share information cards and magnifying glasses to further extend children's knowledge. Children swarm round to listen, bursting with excitement. They use their extensive vocabulary and secure prior learning, to answer the intriguing questions asked by staff. They crave to share their ideas with friends as they predict what happens next. Children are highly inquisitive and show an exceptionally positive attitude towards their learning.

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

• Dedicated and passionate leaders have an excellent understanding of their roles and responsibilities. There is an exceptionally effective management structure that enables the whole team to drive consistent and continual improvement. Leaders are extremely reflective and use self-evaluation as an ongoing tool to constantly seek ways to improve and grow as a setting. They continuously strive to provide the best opportunities for children. In turn, this enables the children who attend to make the greatest possible start in life. Staff report that there is a superb team ethos, where they receive endless support for their development and well-being. They comment that they feel listened to and that the extremely high levels of training on offer enable them to feel completely valued. Furthermore, this fully equips staff with the skills and knowledge they need.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive superb support. With the skilled guidance of leaders and managers, staff are particularly effective at identifying and supporting children with SEND. They expertly use their knowledge of each child to put personalised strategies in place. This ensures children get the specific support they need. Children with SEND, as well as those from families in challenging situations, blossom and succeed alongside their friends. Furthermore, leaders source additional funding for specific children's needs. Staff use this to purchase carefully selected resources that extend and enhance children's learning experiences.
• Parent partnerships are extremely strong. Parents and carers talk very positively about leaders and staff. They comment on the excellent speech development of their children, which they say can be attributed to the superb skills of the staff team. Leaders invite parents and carers into the setting to join them in workshops. They share resources and ideas to support home learning. Families are encouraged to be involved in regular events and to play an active part in their child's education.
• Partnership working is superb and has been improved immensely. For example, excellent working relationships with feeder schools have been forged and teachers come to visit pre-school. In addition, children visit the local schools for events. All staff work with a range of professional partners across the network and in the local community to ensure children and their families have the very best possible start in life.
• Staff expertly support children to engage in a range of activities to support their developing literacy skills. Children have countless opportunities, inside and outside, to make marks and experiment with early writing. Furthermore, children frequently engage in singing and story time. The enthusiastic staff read stories with joy and excitement. Children remain absorbed in books, listening intently, while staff skilfully ask questions to challenge children's thinking and relate stories to their own experiences. Children develop a love of reading.
• Children are confident and have tremendous fun at this pre-school. Staff are passionate and clearly enjoy working with children who, in return, respond very positively. Children have the opportunities for some experiences that they may not previously have had, such as visiting the library, taking a bus ride into the city and forest school. Children take part in a range of fundraising events for national and local charities. These opportunities result in an appreciation for the community and wider world they live in.