Chalk Village Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted at the door by staff and make their way to the hall. They arrive happily and settle into the activities available. For example, staff support children to choose what they would like to play with. Some children explore play dough, while others role play and dress up. Children who find it hard to settle in are given the time and reassurance they need. Staff provide children with comfort when they get upset. Staff encourage children to engage and interact at story time. For example, staff read the book 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' and encourage children to pretend to walk through the cave stamping their feet. Children show delight as they listen intently to the story. This helps to support children's attention and listening skills.

Staff encourage children to use their imaginations. For example, they offer them a cardboard tube and suggest that it is a telescope. Children ride tricycles in the outdoor area and stop to look through their 'telescopes' to see if they can see any birds. Staff follow the children's interests when planning activities. For example, staff pick daffodils from the garden after the children noticed they had started to grow. Staff encourage children to count the petals as they paint pictures of the daffodils. Some children use scissors independently to create pictures, and staff remind them how to do this safely.

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

• The well-established staff team works effectively together to ensure they support each other in responding to children's needs. The manager provides staff with regular supervision sessions and discusses any training they may require, and to check on their well-being. However, the systems in place do not consistently focus on improving specific areas of staff practice, as well as knowledge of policies and procedures, in order to support children's learning.
• Staff observe children and regularly assess the progress they make. They use assessment to identify any gaps in children's learning and plan the curriculum to promote specific areas of development. For example, staff support children's communication and language development. They comment on the things children do and provide a narrative to their play. The curriculum intent is clear and understood.
• Parents are happy with the care their children receive and know who their child's key person is. Most parents know what activities their children take part in during their session. However, parents are not aware of the specific areas of development the staff are focusing on to support their children to learn. This does not enable them to encourage their children's learning at home.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works with staff and outside agencies to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
• (SEND) are supported. The SENCo reviews individual support plans with staff to monitor the progress children make and to identify any further gaps in children's learning. The SENCo shares strategies with other agencies involved in children's learning and development to ensure a consistent approach. Children with SEND are making progress.
• Staff support children's understanding of the rules. For example, they clap their hands when it is time to stop children's play and tidy up. Children understand what this means and help to tidy up the toys before they go and play outside. Children are happy and eager to join in.
• Children's physical development is supported well. Staff encourage children to balance on low-level balance beams and praise them when they succeed. Children's fine motor skills are encouraged. For example, staff show children how to roll dough into a ball to make a teddy bear. Staff provide children with basic instructions, which they then follow to create their own models. This helps to develop their physical skills and their understanding of instructions.
• Children are offered a healthy snack, which they can access when they are ready. They peel their own fruit, such as banana, and pour their own drink of milk or water. This helps to develop children's independence skills. Staff remind children to wash their hands before and after snack time.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the systems already in place to monitor staff practice and identify areas for improvement, in order to support children's learning
• strengthen how information is shared with parents about the skills their children are developing to help parents support and extend their children's learning at home.