Christ Church [Cheltenham] Pre-School Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The pre-school works to provide a safe, caring, nurturing learning environment with a Christian ethos. Children run in excitedly to see staff, showing the good bonds they have with them. New children are very sensitively supported, and staff ensure they follow children's home routines. They gradually introduce different arrangements and aspects of pre-school practice as children's confidence and awareness grow. Staff patiently offer two-year-olds lots of clear explanations and additional support to help them understand expectations and follow routines. Children begin to enjoy mealtimes with the other children. They learn about boundaries in place for their safety and how to interact appropriately with others.

Staff know their key children well. They outline next steps in their learning, forming this into a curriculum to help gaps in children's development to close. Children build their dexterity and coordination effectively. They balance on obstacle courses outside and giggle as they practise their jumping. They explore making marks in shaving foam with items such as dried pasta, enjoying the sensory feel of these. Children show increasing control as they use tools, such as paintbrushes and glue sticks. They connect train track and make large towers with blocks. At times, they cooperate well with their friends in joint tasks. Children persevere well and are developing their skills effectively in readiness for the next stage in their learning and their move on to school.

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

• Staff work closely with parents, sharing lots of information regarding children's time at the nursery and their development. They offer useful customised meetings, communication books and ideas to support children's learning at home. Staff adapt their communication methods to the different needs of families, beneficially helping parents' involvement and a consistent approach between children's home and the pre-school.
• Staff offer younger children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) patient explanations to help their understanding. Staff repeat key words clearly, and toddlers copy these, progressing their skills effectively. Older children enjoy the company of staff and taking turns in conversations. They confidently discuss things that they want or need. Staff join children in activities, getting down to their level, encouraging children to discuss their ideas and build their growing speech.
• Managers have recently supported changes to the rooms used and areas, meeting the shift of numbers of children in each age group. Toddlers confidently explore and follow their interests and ideas, readily selecting items to play with, and stay focused for some time. However, not all staff ensure that areas fully interest and motivate children. Older children often flit between activities or play running games during free play. Staff at times successfully engage them in activities, but this is not consistent. Older children's concentration skills and attitude to learning do not then develop as much as possible.
• Managers support strong links with the local community. They liaise with local colleges and support students' work experience at the pre-school. They have recently introduced a 'mystery reader' session, inspiring children's interest in books as they try to guess which parent will read a story to them. There are close links with the church on site, offering children different experiences, such as Lego club and music sessions, as well as supporting the pre-school's core Christian values.
• Children develop their independence and sense of responsibility well. They serve themselves snack, pour their milk or water and tidy their things away when they have finished. Toddlers gain very good skills for their age. Staff take time during the routines of the day to encourage children's self-care skills. Pre-school children master putting their coats on to go outside and follow toileting routines with increasing confidence and ability.
• At times, staff adapt their adult-focused activities skilfully. They extend toddlers' exploration and engagement, following their interests. Toddlers make hoof prints in dough with toy animals, fascinated with the effects they create. Children enjoy exploring 'junk modelling' materials, testing out their ideas and developing their creativity and imagination making items such as ice palaces. At other times, however, staff working with the older children do not always plan for and adapt their focused activities effectively. At times, children are not appropriately challenged and do not concentrate consistently and progress their skills fully.
• Managers work well together, suitably evaluating practice, outlining their strengths and weaknesses and implementing improvements to develop their provision. They supervise and support staff, helping them undertake relevant training, such as early years and SEND qualifications, to develop the support provided to children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff enhance children's areas and environment, consistently motivating and engaging children to explore and develop their skills as they play
• support staff to plan for and adapt adult-focused activities effectively, ensuring children are suitably challenged and progress their skills as much as possible.