Collingham Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and arrive at the pre-school eager to learn. Staff's interaction with children is warm, caring and nurturing. They are enthusiastic and praise children for their efforts, achievements and positive behaviour. This has a positive impact on children's confidence and self-esteem, and their readiness for learning. Staff recognise the uniqueness of each child. The effective key-person system helps to ensure that children's emotional well-being is supported effectively.

Parents and carers are delighted with the pre-school and express how much their children enjoy attending. They speak highly of the staff and particularly value how much they have helped with the good progress children are making. Staff make good use of opportunities to involve parents and carers, and the regular exchange of information keeps them up to date with what is happening at the pre-school This is really appreciated as many parents and carers have not been inside the pre-school for some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Children behave well and are confident. They learn to take turns and share the resources. When children want to play with the same toy as their friends and become upset, staff sensitively help them to understand and manage their emotions. Children are supported to identify feelings and look at strategies to help them regulate these. For example, staff talk to children about how they manage their own feelings. Children have formed strong friendships and learn to share, cooperate and resolve conflicts calmly.

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

• There is a clear curriculum to support children's learning and development, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children make good progress over time. They participate in their learning with enthusiasm, as staff build on what they already know and can do. For example, when children are exploring the clay, they talk about how it feels 'warm, cold and soft', and describe their actions as 'patting, squeezing and pinching'.
• Staff provide a rich range of opportunities for children to be active and develop their physical skills. Children learn how to balance as they move themselves across logs and climb nets safely. They begin to understand the impact of exercise on the body. For example, children feel their increased heart rate after taking part in a running activity. They learn about the importance of oral health when they talk about foods that are not good for their teeth, such as syrup.
• Staff have high expectations for all aspects of children's achievements. Overall, they plan effectively to help children progress in their learning. Staff speak clearly to children with good expressions and an engaging manner. However, they do not consistently respond to children's different learning needs during activities. Staff do not ensure that children are as fully challenged and engaged as they could be. For example, at snack time, they miss opportunities to promote interactions.
• Partnerships with parents are well developed. They speak highly of the staff team and value the feedback on their children's development. Parents appreciate the learning ideas and activities that staff provide verbally and through electronic communication, so that they can continue their children's learning at home, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The manager and staff support children to develop skills in preparation for their move on to school. For instance, they teach children to be independent. Children put on their coats to play outdoors. They wash and dry their hands and select a bowl and cereal before they sit down to have snack.
• The manager leads her staff team well. Staff say that they feel valued and supported in their role by the manager and other colleagues. The manager is hands-on and is a good role model for staff, offering them help and guidance. She regularly completes observations of staff and has meetings to discuss how they can improve their practice.
• The staff are passionate about providing rich and exciting opportunities for children to experience. They place songs, rhymes and stories at the heart of children's learning. Children have weekly visits from a music teacher. They develop strong favourites and confidently request songs. Children love repeating key phrases such as 'squeaks, groans and rattling bones', clapping to the rhyme.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the quality of staff interactions with the younger children, particularly at snack and group times, to fully engage and support their learning and development to the highest level.