Chesil Bank Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and their families receive a warm welcome from friendly, nurturing staff. They make sure that new children settling in receive good support to help them feel secure in the new environment. Children are happy and confident as they go about their learning. Staff place a high emphasis on children achieving the best possible progress. They plan an effective curriculum tailored to the individual needs of the children. Staff plan interesting activities that encourage children to explore and investigate the properties of ice and work together to achieve. For example, children cooperate as they explore ice in the outdoor area, taking turns to remove the ice from different insect moulds. They excitedly talk about what they have found, such as a butterfly and bees. They build good relationships with the staff and the other children. Newer children are confident in seeking reassurance as they explore the wooden structures in the garden. Children's behaviour is good.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are particularly well supported by the dedicated staff team. The staff work closely with other professionals to make sure children have the best possible start in their learning and education. Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are welcomed into the setting, and staff provide opportunities to talk to them at drop-off and collection times.

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

• There is strong leadership from the manager. She is very knowledgeable and makes sure that staff have good opportunities for training to increase their knowledge and skills. Regular supervision enables staff to talk about how they are feeling and any support they need with their key children. This gives staff time to discuss the planning to ensure they are giving children good learning opportunities that enable them to make the best possible progress across all areas of learning. Staff report that they feel valued and respected by the manager and committee.
• Children learn about healthy lifestyles through growing fruit and vegetables on the setting's allotment. They have good opportunities to develop their physical skills in the well-resourced outside area. Children climb, balance and ride tricycles, learning how to pedal and strengthening their large muscles. They enjoy healthy and nutritious snacks, and staff promote good oral hygiene through fun activities.
• Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have placed a high emphasis on supporting the prime areas of learning to give children a solid foundation for their learning. They use a national programme to help children's communication and language development. This supports staff in developing children's vocabulary further. Children's personal, social and emotional development is particularly well supported. Staff build good relationships with children, helping them to feel safe and secure and have a strong sense of belonging at the pre-school. Children gain the confidence to share their ideas. For example, when children explore ice, they suggest jumping on the ice to see if it breaks. Several children join in with excitement and realise that the ice is too hard to break that way.
• Staff build good relationships with parents, and there is a key-person system in place. However, parents are not always clear on who their child's key person is and do not gain as much information as they would like about daily activities so they can follow them at home. Nevertheless, parents and carers feel they can talk to the manager if they have anything they would like to discuss in relation to their children.
• Staff promote children's positive behaviour well. They give clear explanations if there is any unwanted behaviour. Children demonstrate that they understand the rules and follow them well. Children share and invite others to join in their play. They cooperate well together as they play with dough, making pretend ice creams.
• Key staff work directly with other professionals who visit the setting to find different ways to support children with SEND so they can make the best possible progress. This enables staff to support the children's transitions to school to make them as smooth as possible.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• include parents more in their children's learning, so they are aware of any changes to their child's key person and can support any continued learning at home, to provide children with more consistency in their experiences.