Christ Church Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children very quickly settle on arrival and join in with singing and actions. They build good relationships as they welcome each other and take turns speaking. Staff help children to remember their learning through repetition and routines. For example, they start the day with the same discussions, so children eagerly announce the date and discuss the weather. Staff inform children of the activities available, and give them good opportunities to suggest others. Children are keen to go and explore and lead their learning. For example, they enjoy using foam to develop early writing skills. Staff add paint, extending the activity, so older children explain which colours they mixed to make another. Staff know the children's interests and use them effectively to engage and motivate children. For example, older children spend time happily finding out how to operate locks and discovering which key opens the right padlock. Parents no longer enter the premises since the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have found that children settle much quicker and engage straight away without distractions. Parents confirm that they know how their children are learning thanks to information being shared online. They comment on the pre-school feeling like an extension to family and confirm how well their children are progressing.

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

• The manager plans an ambitious curriculum for all children. They ensure they are providing an inclusive service, and due to an increase in the number of two-year-olds, they have focused on how to sequence their learning. Staff plan the environment successfully, to enable children to have good experiences across all seven areas of the early years foundation stage. They know some children prefer to learn outdoors, and ensure that they have good opportunities to do so.
• The staff implement the curriculum successfully. They have a high number of children learning English as an additional language, and staff are skilful at supporting their language skills. For example, they ask good open-ended questions and give children enough time to think and respond. They provide additional vocabulary and recast mispronounced words. All children soon become confident communicators.
• The manager intends for children to become independent and manage their self-care skills confidently. Staff provide good support, preparing children well for school. For example, children learn to remove their shoes and put on their boots and coats to go outdoors. They manage their clothes when using the toilet and wash their hands. Staff help children to have a go and keep trying, so they are pleased with their achievements. However, on occasion, staff are quick to solve problems for children, so they do not use trial and error to find out what works.
• Children have positive attitudes to learning. They behave well and understand the staff's expectations. Those that struggle with managing their emotions receive consistently good support from staff. Important care practices promote good hygiene and children discuss what makes them strong and healthy. They balance, climb, and jump with control and coordination.
• Staff use the settling-in procedures to find out children's interests and family backgrounds. They use this information well to help children settle and engage them in their learning. The manager has just re-introduced parents' evening, and uses an online system to keep parents informed of their child's development. However, they rely on parents to complete children's starting points on this system and not all parents are aware of this. The pre-school uses funding effectively, for example to purchase packs to support learning at home.
• The local springboard group often recommends the pre-school to parents needing childcare for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is because staff provide strong support, work highly effectively with outside agencies and the local opportunity group. The manager works directly with her staff, acts as a strong role model and provides important support, so children make the best progress they can.
• The manager encourages her staff team to continually evaluate their practice and seek even better ways to work. She listens to her team and provides additional training for their professional development. The manager and team monitor children's use of the environment and make changes to their planning to ensure it is effective for all. The manager has identified that seeking parents' feedback could be developed further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus staff development on helping children to learn to consider ways of solving problems for themselves through trial and error
• seek greater information from parents on children's starting points to plan even more effectively from the start.