Collingwood Under Fives Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children with a warm welcome as they arrive. Children show a strong sense of belonging. They hang their coats on pegs and look for their favourite activities. Staff are reassuring and supportive to new children, helping them settle in. Children confidently express their preferences and independently choose what they would like to play with. Staff support and guide children's learning by asking them questions during activities. Children talk about filling moulds with sand and what it looks like when it is tipped out. Staff ask children what they see. They reply 'it has bones', when they fill a dinosaur-shaped mould, for instance.

Staff encourage children to keep trying when things do not go as planned. Children show immense pride in their successes and achievements. Children enjoy playing together and are very respectful towards each other. They work together, making marks with brushes and water in the garden. They say, 'I am making a circle', and 'I am making a square', as they draw on the ground. Children negotiate taking turns when using the play equipment and share resources with their friends. Staff praise children and are excellent role models. As a result, children's behaviour is exemplary.

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

• Staff know what children need to learn next. They plan the environment effectively to support children's learning. Children play in the home corner and enjoy dressing up. They act out roles and enjoy learning about people who help us, such as firefighters and dentists. This learning is extended when a fire engine and a dentist visit the setting, for instance. This helps children to learn more about the world.
• Staff support children's physical development. Children practise their skills in the garden during outdoor play. They climb and run with confidence and share the see-saw with their friends. Children instruct each other to 'go' and 'stop', negotiating roles during their play. Staff encourage children to keep trying when, at first, they don't succeed. For example, children use scissors to cut out shapes with paper. Children exclaim, 'I did it', when they are successful, showing a genuine sense of pride.
• Children follow routines well and develop their independence skills. Children learn to brush their teeth by watching staff. They wash their hands before meals and pour their own drinks. They enjoy mealtimes where staff promote and discuss healthy food choices. However, these times of the day are not always planned sufficiently well as part of the curriculum to continue children's learning and development through all times of the day.
• Children demonstrate excellent behaviour. Staff praise children and encourage them to show kindness to others. Children celebrate cultural events that are meaningful to them and their families. They share these experiences with their friends and they learn about the lives of others.
• Children develop and demonstrate mature language skills. Staff's skilful teaching supports children well, encouraging them to engage in thoughtful conversations, for instance. Staff plan an environment and curriculum that is rich in language and values every child. This helps all children to become confident in their communications.
• Staff build strong bonds with children and their families. They give parents plenty of information about their children's learning. Parents notice the good progress their children make, especially in their communication and social development. staff share guidance with parents on supporting their children's learning at home.
• Leaders provide excellent support for practitioners and conduct regular supervision meetings. Staff enjoy their roles and feel well supported as valued members of the team. They attend training to enhance their teaching skills. Leaders work closely with local schools and attend meetings to share ideas with other professionals. This helps to improve outcomes for all children.
• Leaders use additional funding well to support individual children, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work with families and other professionals to create effective support plans for children. This ensures children gain valuable experiences that enhance their development and well-being. As a result, all children make good progress in their learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan routine times of the day, such as mealtimes, to support children's learning and development more effectively.