Catsfield Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this welcoming pre-school. Parents describe the staff as 'amazing'. The new manager has made many positive changes to the provision since she started. Although she has only been in post for a short time, the improvements to children's learning are notable. Activities are now planned purposefully so that children's next steps and interests are taken into full consideration. Children thoroughly enjoy the activities. They show sustained focus and concentrate well, working things out for themselves and showing increasing levels of independence.

Funding is used particularly effectively to take account of what individual children need. Staff fully recognise the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emotional impact this has on some children when they first start. Staff have worked hard to help children learn to understand their different emotions with the use of stories, such as 'The Colour Monster'. These creative strategies are effective. Children who were previously unsettled now arrive at pre-school with excitement and enthusiasm for the day.

All children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff know the children well and provide activities that challenge children and help them to develop their skills and knowledge. The curriculum is structured appropriately and allows children to gain the important skills they need for future learning.

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

• Leadership is good. The manager and committee members work tirelessly to make ongoing improvements. They are relentless in their approach towards ensuring high-quality provision. Parents also commend the way in which the setting is now run. They note the improvements to the level of teaching, the information they receive, and their own involvement in their children's learning.
• Overall, the quality of teaching is good. The manager is leading her team well in developing the curriculum and providing children with more child-led learning opportunities. Staff now plan activities based on children's interests. Very occasionally, however, some teaching does not reflect the new approach and is less focused on what children know and need to learn next. At these times, children show less interest. A relevant programme of staff training is in place to improve consistency, but it is still too early to measure the full impact of this.
• Children thoroughly enjoy their learning. They explore topics that capture their interests, and staff support this with appropriate visits and practical activities. For example, as part of the current theme of 'people who help us', children recently enjoyed a visit from the fire service and spoke excitedly about the fire engine that visited.
• Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is particularly good. Staff accurately identify any gaps in children's learning. Good links are formed with parents and other agencies to ensure that assessment information is shared. Children who need extra help catch up quickly and receive good levels of support from staff.
• Children behave well. They demonstrate how safe and secure they feel at pre-school. The relationships they have with staff are good, and children will often invite staff into their play. There is a fun, busy and purposeful atmosphere, and staff are very caring and attentive. Children follow staff's lead and are kind and respectful to their friends.
• Staff prepare children well for starting school. From a young age, children develop confidence, independence and a strong desire to explore the exciting learning environment. Staff use imaginative strategies to encourage children to take care of their own needs. For example, the recent introduction of the 'toilet cards' has helped children to manage toileting routines independently and with minimal support from staff.
• Children demonstrate very positive attitudes towards learning. They develop good language skills, as staff promote these well as they play and introduce children to new words. For example, as children explored building towers with different wooden blocks, staff successfully helped children learn new shape names, such as 'semicircle'.
• Good attention is paid towards keeping children safe. Staff are vigilant in supervising children closely and acting promptly if they have any concerns about a child's well-being. Children learn about possible dangers as they play. For example, staff teach them how to handle scissors safely and to be aware of preventing injuries to themselves, and others, as they play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the staff team to ensure teaching is consistently good or better.