Coxheath Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide children with an ambitious curriculum. Children are keen to have a go during all activities. For example, they excitedly spray water bottles to put out pretend fires in the garden. They keep trying until they master the action, showing a positive attitude to learning. Staff plan effectively for children to experience a range of learning opportunities. For instance, they plan a life cycle week. Children incubate eggs and watch them hatch. They look after the chicks until it is time for them to return to the farm. These opportunities help children to develop an understanding of the natural world.

Staff create an effective key-person system. They are kind and caring, and children's well-being appears to be high. Staff are positive role models when they speak to each other and children with respect. Children happily play together and share and take turns, for example when they role-play hospitals. Children take turns to lay on the bed and be a patient or a doctor. They discuss what is wrong and what the doctor needs to do to make them better. Children work together to extend their play and share ideas.

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

• Staff find out what children know and can do when they start. They use the information to plan next steps in children's learning. Staff meet weekly to discuss the curriculum and what children need to learn next. They assess their learning regularly. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making good progress in their learning.
• Staff support children to develop their language skills. They introduce new words and what they mean, such as 'skeleton' and 'x-ray'. Children use these words when playing alone, for instance, 'I'm going to x-ray your arm.' Staff actively take part in children's play. They interact warmly and use praise effectively. However, staff do not always extend conversations effectively when children share their views. Staff sometimes move the conversation on and do not always expand on what children have said, such as when children comment they do not like 'chickpeas' and they like 'pink' and 'purple'.
• Children behave well. For example, they know they must stop and listen when they hear staff ring a bell or blow a whistle. Staff remind children of the rules when they forget, such as 'walking feet indoors'. This helps children know what is expected of them.
• Children learn about the local community. They visit the church to learn about Easter and the library to choose books. Staff support children to learn about different cultures. They offer resources such as books and dressing up to represent different backgrounds. Staff learn simple words from children's home language to support their communication. Staff help children learn about festivals such as Diwali, where they make lanterns and paint hands. This helps them to respect their similarities and differences.
• Children benefit from a familiar daily routine. For example, children know where to put their coats and where resources are kept. They enjoy lots of time playing with their friends and use the snack bar when they are hungry. However, some routines, such as when staff call children to a group time, disrupt their play and learning.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff work closely with parents to ensure the individual needs of children are met. They share regular information about children's learning through a range of ways, such as face-to-face discussions and electronic communication. Parents discuss how they value the support they receive to continue children's learning at home. Parents feel well informed.
• Staff evaluate the learning environment daily. They check what works and what could be changed in the future to better support learning. The management team hold regular meetings with staff. They ensure staff have a manageable workload and training opportunities. Staff report they feel valued and have high well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff's understanding of how to listen to children's views to extend conversations and improve children's communication and language skills
• strengthen the daily routine so children's play and learning are not disrupted.