Chipping Warden School Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff have excellent bonds with children at this welcoming kindergarten. Children are helpful and kind towards their friends. For example, as children get ready to go outside, they help each other to put on waterproof clothing. Staff are positive role models. They praise children as they proudly show them the paintings they complete, helping to raise children's self-esteem. Staff remind children to be careful as they climb tyre walls outside so they do not fall. Children look at daffodils and paint pictures of them as staff tell them it is St. David's Day. This supports children to learn about different traditions around the world.

Children show a positive attitude towards their learning as they actively engage in stimulating activities that staff plan to follow their interests. They confidently explore the outside forest area. Staff encourage them to work as a team as they use large sticks to make a den. Children further develop their physical skills as they race around on bicycles in the playground and take part in yoga sessions delivered by a parent. Staff constantly engage children in conversations and sing songs with them, supporting their communication and language development. They develop children's vocabulary by introducing new words, such as gravity, as they read a story about a bear going into space.

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

• The manager, the staff and the committee work extremely well together. Staff report that the manager cares for their well-being and is proactive in providing training to further their professional development. The manager has developed strong links with the onsite school. Children use school facilities, such as the playground, helping them to become familiar with the environment. This supports their transition to school.
• Parents are very complimentary of the kindergarten. They report that their children have 'thrived'. Staff share development reports with parents so they are aware of how their child is developing and give them activity ideas to continue learning at home.
• Staff know children extremely well. They complete assessments and observations on children, checking for gaps in learning. Staff identify the next steps to help children to make good progress.
• Children with additional needs are well supported. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals. Individual target plans are put in place and reviewed regularly to check progress. The manager uses additional funding well. For example, one-to-one support is provided for children where needed.
• Staff plan a wide variety of activities. They provide many opportunities for children to develop their mathematical knowledge. For example, children join in counting as they sing number songs with staff. Staff introduce numbers 15 and
• 16 to children, who are encouraged to count how many children are at kindergarten.
• Staff extend children's learning well. For example, in the forest area, staff introduce a story of an alien in the garden. Staff spark children's imagination as they encourage them to think how they could get the alien back home. Children take it in turns to share their ideas, saying, 'we can make a spaceship'. As children explore the forest, staff introduce them to words such as buds and blossoms as they discuss the trees.
• Staff remind children to share and take turns. Overall, children behave well. However, during some daily routines, such as when children come in from outside, and after mealtimes, children's behaviour can become a little disruptive, as staff do not manage these times as well as they could.
• Children are starting to develop their independence skills. They persevere as they try to open food packets at lunch and put their slippers on. However, at times, some staff are overly eager to do things for children. For example, staff pour children's milk at snack time rather than allowing them to try to do it themselves. This prevents children's independence skills from developing to the highest level.
• Children engage visitors in conversation as they look at a display about teeth. They recall their visit to the dentist, discussing how they brush their teeth to keep them clean. Children are aware that they need to wash their hands before they eat. However, staff do not always implement this consistently, such as when they forget to remind children to wash their hands after mealtimes. Furthermore, staff do not discuss with children why they need to wash their hands, to further support their understanding of good hygiene practices.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the organisation of routines so that transitions between activities and mealtimes run smoothly to support children's behaviour
• provide children with further opportunities to enhance their independence
• consistently embed good hygiene practices and support children to learn why these are necessary.