Carnarvon Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the pre-school eagerly, settle quickly and show a strong sense of belonging. Children enthusiastically sing, 'We have come to learn and play, having fun the pre-school way', during registration time. Staff plan active and enjoyable activities that help children develop physical skills, such as dancing to music and joining in with the actions of familiar rhymes and songs. Children develop new skills as they learn to hop, jump and balance in the outdoor space. They develop hand-eye coordination as they manipulate play dough and use scissors to strengthen the hand muscles they will need for early writing.

Staff help children to learn how to keep themselves safe. Children recall previous learning as they identify what a hazard is and how staff keep them safe. For example, as children walk to the pond, they recognise the displayed warning sign. They know that it means deep water and they need to stay close to an adult.

Staff continually help children to build on previous learning. When children find a ladybird on the play equipment, they decide that a leafy plant would make the most appropriate home so the ladybird can find some friends. Staff encourage the children to care for living things as they work together as a team to carefully move the ladybird. The children demonstrate their developing mathematical skills as they eagerly join staff to count the number of spots they see, saying, 'There are two spots, one on each side.'

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

• Staff plan to help children make a smooth transition to school when the time comes. They have excellent links with the on-site school. Staff take children to different areas of the school, such as the pond, the playground and the classrooms. This helps the children to become familiar with the school site and the teachers and helps them to learn the teachers' names. Staff plan activities to support children's independence. Children practise dressing and undressing in school uniforms as they play in the home corner. They have a school book bag for when accessing the lending library.
• Parents are overwhelmingly complimentary about the pre-school. They value how the staff celebrate each child's uniqueness. For example, staff organise special events and activities that showcase children's different cultures, home traditions and languages. This gives children the opportunity to explore and appreciate differences. Parents receive a wide range of support and guidance, including discussions on potty training, children's communication and helping with fussy eating.
• Staff build older children's confidence as they encourage them to share their experiences during 'show and tell'. Older children stand at the front of the group and talk about a photo or object that is special to them. Staff encourage the children to ask questions to find out more information. However, during these activities, staff have not carefully considered the learning needs of the younger children. As a result, they become distracted and disengaged.
• All children make progress in relation to their starting points. Staff observe children and track the progress they make. They identify areas where children need support to ensure they do not fall behind. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff identify and action additional support swiftly. They work with parents and multi-agency professionals to support children to make the best possible progress.
• Staff engage children in activities and support them as they play. They model positional language such as 'on top' and 'under' as children explore toy cars. Staff encourage children to think critically as they ask, 'Will the car go up the ramp or down the ramp?' However, they do not always plan what they want children to learn next. For example, they have not considered how to extend activities or make them more challenging for most-able children.
• The manager is extremely reflective and constantly strives to improve outcomes for all children. Recent training on emotional literacy has further developed staff interactions with the children. Staff use the language of feelings and emotions with the children and help them to self-regulate their behaviour. For example, they encourage children to think about how they feel at different points of the day. As a consequence, children learn to behave well and the environment is calm. This has a positive impact on the children's personal, social and emotional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the planning and provision of activities to focus more sharply on what children need to learn next, particularly during adult-led activities
• review the organisation of larger group activities to enable younger children to remain fully engaged and interested in their learning.