Cheam Baptist Church Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy spending time at this welcoming and nurturing pre-school. They arrive happy and separate from their parents and carers with ease to join their friends. The staff team ensure children have access to a stimulating curriculum that encourages children's curiosity and motivation to have a go and learn.

Staff have high expectations of children. They make them aware of the rules in the pre-school and set clear boundaries for them to learn right from wrong. Children's behaviour is good. Staff work closely with parents to support children to manage and understand their feelings. For instance, the self-registration system provides children with the opportunity to place their picture on an emotion monster. This allows them to reflect on how they are feeling and express their emotions.

Staff strategically place themselves at activities and are highly skilled in supporting and encouraging children's language and thinking. For example, they take part in circle time activities, sing songs, see sign language, have story times and are introduced to new vocabulary. During mark-making activities, children are encouraged to create pattens and learn new words, such as zig zag and spiral. Children are supported effectively to become confident skilful communicators.

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

• Children's mathematical skills are fostered well. Staff provide children with interactive activities to develop their understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, children access weighing scales to weigh bricks. They compare quantities and learn how to use mathematical words to describe what they are doing. This helps to deepen their mathematical knowledge and understanding.
• Staff provide a variety of challenging equipment to support children's physical skills, both indoors and outdoors. Older children zoom around the garden's racecourse confidently on balance bikes. The obstacle course helps children develop their balance and coordination as they walk along planks. Staff are always close by to help children who are feeling daring but not confident on climbing structures. Children's small physical skills in readiness for early writing are promoted well. Children have fun making marks in foam with their fingers and paint brushes.
• Children take part and learn about different religions, traditions, events and cultural celebrations beyond their own. For instance, they learn to say grace before meals to give thanks for their food. Throughout the year, children learn about events such as Easter, Christmas, Eid and Chinese New Year. They explore positive cultural images, books and resources and learn to value the differences and similarities. Children gain a good understanding of the wider world.
• Staff observe and assess children's learning effectively. They keep parents informed about their children's learning and work together to plan what children need to learn next. The strong partnerships between staff and parents ensure that there is consistency of support for children between the nursery and home. Subsequently, children make good progress with their development in comparison to their starting points in learning.
• Children with developmental delays and special educational needs and/or disabilities are effectively supported. The key person organises regular 'star time', which enables children to have fun working on areas of development in small groups. Leaders work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure the best outcomes for children. All of which helps children to reach their full potential.
• Children learn the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Staff provide children with healthy and nutritious snacks of fruits and breadsticks. However, staff do not consistently plan for children to do more things for themselves, to further extend their learning.
• Parents are happy with the service provided. They speak highly of the care and education their children receive. They appreciate the friendly staff and how happy and settled their children are.
• The management team have a clear understanding of their strengths and areas of development. They regularly evaluate the provision and gain views from parents, staff, children and governors to help make improvements. For example, staff now use digital technology to share children's progress with parents and encourage them to share learning from home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance mealtime routines to provide more opportunities for children to be more involved and independent in doing things for themselves.