Coten End Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive to the pre-school happily. They have warm and caring relationships with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. They develop good relationships with their key persons, who know and build on the children's interests. Staff are child-centred and attend well to children's needs. Children explore the environment which is set out with activities to engage them. Children develop independence well. They enjoy selecting their own resources in play and putting their finished work into their own folders. There are lots of opportunities for physical development, problem-solving and for children to manage their own risks. For example, children enjoy using skateboards to slide down the slope outside and they laugh when staff join in their game.

Children enjoy supporting each other in the setting; they cheer each other on when they complete an activity. Generally, children behave well. They take turns and share resources well. Children join in with well-structured routines and listen to staff well. Children enjoy the activities that are available in the setting and benefit from a curriculum that is well sequenced. Children learn about a range of cultural festivals and enjoy trips out, such as to a local castle and grounds.

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

• The curriculum for children is well designed and sequenced to support children to progress through their stages in learning. Staff work with parents to establish starting points when children start the setting. They use what they know about the children and skilfully combine children's interests along with additional topics. This helps to provide a rich and purposeful environment which engages and challenges children and promotes their learning and development effectively.
• Key persons know their children well. They know the individual needs of children, including what they need to learn next. Staff plan activities for children to ensure they make continual progress.
• Children's communication and language are promoted well. Staff read stories and sing songs with children throughout the day. They use simplified sign language to support communication. Children self-select books and sit quietly while looking at them independently, which further extends their learning.
• Staff are aware of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's confidence and social skills. They plan experiences to help children develop in this area. For example, children are encouraged to play in groups and support each other in activities. This helps to promote their personal, social and emotional development.
• Older children who require medication are increasingly aware of their own health needs. For example, they understand the need to take medicines with them when moving around the pre-school, and do so effectively.
• Children develop their physical skills. They enjoy using the range of climbing equipment in the outdoor area to secure their climbing and balancing skills. There is a range of opportunities for children to develop their smaller hand muscles to support their use of one-handed tools.
• Opportunities to develop problem-solving skills and independence are abundant. Children access a creative area and make decisions about what they would like to do. They have fun when they access their own paint and mark-making materials, and mix colours together and paint their own pictures.
• Overall, children behave well. They interact politely and are kind to each other. However, some children are not aware of their own behaviour and the impact this has on others. Children get frustrated because staff do not use appropriate strategies that promote children's individual levels of understanding.
• There are clear routines in place in the pre-school. Most children enjoy joining in with these and transition easily between activities and sessions.
• Staff complete regular training, including first aid and safeguarding. The manager completes effective supervisions with staff and training needs are identified. Staff are deployed well to ensure they meet children's needs and support children's learning and development. However, where staff hold more than one role, the training received to support them to fulfil their responsibilities is not yet fully embedded, to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.
• The manager routinely evaluates the provision. She regularly reviews practice and the effectiveness of the pre-school environment. The manager is aware of the pre-school's areas of development and seeks out opportunities to make continuous improvements and enhance the provision for the children.
• Parents speak positively about the partnership with the friendly staff and key persons. They say they receive regular updates about their child's learning and development and are aware of where they are developing next.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop a further understanding of a range of behaviour management strategies to support children at their individual levels of understanding and that are appropriate to meet their needs
• embed knowledge gained from training to strengthen staff skills and enable them to carry out all their roles more effectively.