Crafty Wizards Pre-school, Alderwood Children's Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff help children to flourish and feel safe at this pre-school. They are patient, they take the time to settle and introduce children to the setting. Children arrive to warm greetings and smiles from staff. Leaders and staff support children to understand the expectations for their behaviour. They support children to socialise and play with each other. For example, children wait their turns to play hopscotch. When children need extra help to manage their behaviour, staff encourage and support them to manage their emotions. Children are learning to be respectful to each other.

Staff encourage children to do things for themselves and promote their self-help skills. Children choose and carefully serve their own snacks, pour their own drinks and select the toys they play with. Children are learning the skills they need to prepare them for their next steps in learning. Generally, leaders plan and implement a meaningful learning programme that is ambitious for all children. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength in the pre-school. Staff work effectively in partnership with external agencies and parents. Children with SEND, and other children who receive funding, receive targeted interventions from staff.

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

• Children follow meaningful routines that promote their health and hygiene effectively. Staff encourage children to wash and dry their hands before mealtimes. They sing songs that promote children's learning about the link between good health and good hygiene. This benefits children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle.
• Leaders routinely reflect on the provision, they want all children to flourish and be good communicators. They have put practices in place to encourage children to develop a love of reading. They have a lending library that parents use well. They take books home to share with their children. Some children participate in specific talk and literacy sessions to enhance their early speaking and literacy skills further. All children benefit from storytelling sessions and valuable literacy experiences that are age appropriate and promote their learning.
• Overall, children's listening and attention skills are developing well. Although staff prepare engaging experiences and activities that support children's interests, there are times when staff direct children's learning rather than following or adapting their lead. This impacts on how children engage and extend their learning further.
• Staff teach children early mathematical concepts in interesting and fun ways. Staff count with children and use maths language. For example, staff encourage and praise children as they engage, create, explore and learn about shapes with malleable materials. Children show their delight in their learning. They demonstrate that they are proud of their achievements. This demonstrates that children are developing confidence in the pre-school.
• Children have opportunities to benefit their physical health outdoors. Children ride bikes, use the slide and water trays. At these times, children are having fun and building friendships. However, the teaching is not targeted to focus on what children need to do next to further support the development of their large muscle skills.
• Leaders make effective use of early years funding to meet the needs of eligible children. One of the ways they do this is by increasing staff's knowledge and understanding. For example, staff attend training to promote and prioritise the learning for children who need extra support, and those who may have SEND. They also purchased musical equipment to further engage children's learning in expressive arts.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff routinely share information about children's experiences and learning. Parents feel that staff listen to them and involve them in their children's learning. This supports children to make good progress in their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make better use of strategies to support children to fully engage in their learning
• plan more effectively for children's learning in the outdoor areas to further enhance children large muscle development.