Copdock and Washbrook Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily enter this cosy, inclusive pre-school as the caring and nurturing staff welcome them at the door. Children immediately show a sense of independence and belonging when hanging up their coats on their peg before finding their name card and self-registering their arrival. The management team maintains close relationships with local schools, which supports children's seamless progression to school. Additionally, it offers bespoke settling-in processes and weekly stay-and-play sessions. This means children gradually build attachments with their key persons and feel relaxed and safe in the learning environment that is familiar to them from the start.

Children develop a love for reading as fun-loving staff bring stories to life through stimulating activities and playful interactions. Additionally, children choose books of interest to them from the mobile library. During a 'bear hunt' game, children extend and consolidate their learning of positional language in play. While joyfully describing to peers where to find the bear they have hidden, they copy language used previously by staff, such as 'behind' or 'inside'. Children are very well behaved. They offer to pour their peers a drink and patiently wait their turn to serve their own snack. Staff provide meaningful praise for these well-established social skills, which encourages children to repeat these positive behaviours.

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

• Children benefit from small and specific group learning opportunities that are purposeful and consider children's individual interests. For example, staff provide a letter-tracing activity to support children's developing interest in learning letters in their name. They become highly engaged as they practise early writing skills in preparation for school. However, occasionally, staff's interactions during children's play are not considered enough to consistently challenge and extend children's specific next steps in learning.
• The implementation of robust, ongoing planning and assessment processes mean staff swiftly notice any gaps in children's learning and development. The management team and staff build and maintain strong relationships with parents and any other external agencies working alongside. This collaborative working means all children, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND), continually make progress in all areas of learning.
• Staff promote a positive culture of respect and empathy towards others. They respond sensitively and consistently to those children who find it difficult to understand and regulate their emotions. Staff provide strategies, such as introducing sand timers, to help them negotiate turn-taking games effectively. Consequently, children are learning to accept the needs of others and solve any conflict themselves. This is evident when children initiate writing their name on a list, informing others that they wish to have a turn at using a popular drinking cup at snack.
• Children enjoy sitting at the table with their peers at mealtimes. Adults prioritise children's safety by sitting with them and giving gentle reminders to support safe eating. For example, staff appropriately explain the importance of finishing mouthfuls of food before talking to reduce the risk of choking. Children are becoming increasingly independent in carrying out their self-care routines. Without prompting, children put empty packets in the bin and wash their plates after eating.
• Resources are of high quality. As children explore the resources, staff interact well and play alongside children, instigating discussions such as talking about shapes in the environment. Children begin to problem-solve themselves as they describe how their cracker is a triangle shape because it has three sides.
• Staff support healthy lifestyles by promoting plenty of outdoor, physical exercise, including weekly yoga sessions. Children understand the importance of staying hydrated when regularly helping themselves to drinking water throughout the day. Children grow fruit and vegetables and look forward to weekly cooking sessions. Despite staff's knowledge and clear ambition to enhance, and support children to make, healthy food choices, occasionally at mealtimes, staff's interactions are not always effective at reflecting this.
• Parents are complimentary about the professionalism and friendly approach from the entire staff team. They remark on good communication, including regular updates of their child's progress. Parents report on how their children have particularly progressed in their speech and language development since attending.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff further reflect on children's learning priorities and use of available resources during their play to help them achieve their next stage of learning
• build on already good teaching opportunities to give clear and consistent messages that support children to consistently make healthy food choices.