Christchurch Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their pre-school day. They wave goodbye to parents and excitedly skip to the gate, where they are greeted by happy, smiling staff. Children actively participate in a group welcome session. Staff encourage the children to talk about the days of the week, how many children are present and what the weather is like that day. Children use visual prompts around the room to demonstrate their knowledge of various shapes and colours.

Children are very well behaved. They show kindness towards each other and help their friends to achieve. For example, children hold the hands of smaller peers to support their balance on the escalating pods in the garden. They cooperate in imaginary games with wild animals, naming the animals and imitating the noises those animals make. Children understand the pre-school routines. They help to tidy the toys away and move confidently to the smaller room to listen to a story. Children enthusiastically join in with the story at familiar parts and help to count where required.

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

• The providers have improved their knowledge and understanding of their roles since the last inspection. The trustees have completed training to help them to understand their responsibilities better. Staff and the manager now receive purposeful supervision to help them to improve their practice and to identify any training needs. The trustees have tightened their procedures to ensure that all staff and trustees have undergone the appropriate vetting checks and their ongoing suitability is now monitored.
• Parents speak very highly of the pre-school. They feel that their children are making good progress in their learning. Parents say that the trustees, manager and staff have good means of communication, which enables them to be well informed about their child's day and any changes to the provision. Parents comment that they feel able to feed any concerns or ideas back to the staff and manager. They feel confident that their suggestions will be considered and acted upon.
• Children's language and vocabulary is skilfully extended by staff who ask them clear appropriate questions. They provide sufficient time for children to consider their responses and respond. Staff introduce new words, such as 'metamorphoses'. Children recall the word and explain what it means.
• Children learn about how plants grow. They plant sunflower seeds and monitor their growth by measuring them regularly. Children estimate how high they think the plant has grown. They explore life cycles through favourite books and resources. For example, children consider how a caterpillar develops into a butterfly.
• Children enjoy participating in physical play activities outdoors. They ride bikes and scooters up and down the ramp. They build with the construction resources and chat to staff about what they are building and how. They share the equipment and help each other when prompted.
• Staff encourage children to develop confidence and independence. They always ask if they have had a go at something themselves, before offering to assist. Staff facilitate children's ideas and help them to solve problems for themselves. For example, children who are struggling to pull small pins and shapes out of cork boards are encouraged to think about what other tools they might use to do this. Staff help them to find large plastic tweezers, which prove a successful tool.
• Children, generally, engage well in the large-group activities. However, at times, these can extend over a long period of time. This is especially so when the children first enter the pre-school to begin their morning session. They are keen and active to begin exploring and playing, however, are required to sit as part of the early session routine. Children understand and follow the routine to clear away the toys for the large communal snack time. However, this can hinder children's sustained concentration on a chosen activity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of large-group activities to ensure that they are matched to children's individual needs and do not hinder children from sustaining their focus or attention on chosen play.