Chipmonks Pre-school Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Chipmonks Pre-school is a wonderful place for children to learn and play. Children enthusiastically enter the setting with smiles on their faces and settle quickly. They make friendships and show care and concern for others. For example, pre-school children spontaneously rush to find a cloth to wipe up milk that their friend has spilt.

Children are engrossed in a wealth of captivating and challenging activities and experiences, which staff skilfully plan. Children excitedly approach the planting and growing area where staff have placed a variety of vegetables. They excitedly water them and discuss the vegetables they like or dislike. Children diligently follow a pictorial recipe and count and measure ingredients as they make their own play dough.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They are marvellous role models for children, showing children how to be kind and to respect others. Children take turns exceptionally well. They collect and use a sand timer to wait for their turn in a variety of situations, such as using a toy cash register. Children are keen to persevere with tasks until they get it right. For example, children glow with pride when they learn new skills, for instance using a pair of scissors.

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

• The inspirational provider and staff team have designed an exceptionally well-thought out curriculum. This builds effectively on children's knowledge and encourages them to practise their skills. Experienced staff understand what children need to learn. They implement this exceptionally well. Consequently, all children make excellent progress from their starting points. Staff prepare children incredibly well for their next steps in education.
• There is excellent support for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff expertly use their knowledge of each child to put just the right strategies in place. This ensures that children get the support they need. Staff sensitively assess children's individual needs and use any additional funding successfully to raise the quality of children's experiences. Children with SEND flourish and succeed alongside their peers.
• The excitement of learning is evident in every part of the pre-school. Children develop confidence in choosing favourite activities from a wide range of stimulating activities. They quickly become highly independent, developing their own personal preferences. The setting is highly inclusive and ensures that all children make rapid progress no matter how small the steps. Staff ensure that children learn to appreciate diversity in the wider world. They learn about family differences in ways that are appropriate for their age.
• Leaders and staff prioritise developing children's communication and language skills. Staff model language extremely well. They talk constantly to children and listen carefully to what children have to say. They skilfully match the language they use and the questions they ask to the needs of each child. As a result, children are especially confident and articulate clearly, when speaking in a variety of situations. Children are excellent at responding to questions and ask their own to clarify understanding.
• Staff at the pre-school develop children's love of reading across all age ranges. Children excitedly share books with adults. Younger children independently choose to look at books, pointing eagerly to the pictures, keen for the adult to read to them. Adults expertly help children bring stories to life. For example, children mix up porridge and compare amounts in bowls when re-enacting the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'.
• Parents are exceptionally positive about the school. They describe it as an amazing place. Staff work closely with parents and children benefit from a very strong continuity of care. Parents feel listened to and valued. They appreciate the regular communication and updates on their children's development.
• The provider is extremely effective at reflecting on the setting and supporting the dedicated team. Staff have opportunities to access training and work on ideas together in regular meetings. For example, they attend training on autism, which has had an exceptionally positive impact on strategies employed.