Crudwell Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children feel safe, secure and confident to learn in the care of nurturing staff. Each child is recognised as an individual by staff, who respond to their unique needs. They offer an inclusive, engaging curriculum to promote all children's learning outcomes. Staff respond swiftly when they identify that children may benefit from extra help in learning. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff reflect on the learning environment. They have recently adapted the physical space to further enhance children's social communication. Staff offer calming areas for children and use puppets and stories to support children's understanding of feelings.

Children show joy and excitement as they sweep and collect fallen leaves. Staff talk to them about the signs of the changing seasons, fostering their awareness of nature. Children behave well and learn to develop respect and empathy for others. Staff plan 'random acts of kindness' for children to carry out. For example, children pick apples from the pre-school tree to deliver to local residents. Children develop strong communication and language skills. They enjoy noticing rhyming words as staff read to them. Staff support children's vocabulary through repeating and modelling language. Children demonstrate their good language skills as they verbalise their observations in play. For instance, they describe the digger's arm as being 'as long as a giraffe's neck'.

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

• Leaders have taken swift and effective action to raise the quality of the provision since the previous inspection. Leaders have implemented action plans and engage on continual reflection with staff on their practice. Staff have attended training, such as for supporting two-year-olds and aspects of leadership. Leaders observe staff's practice and meet with them to celebrate strengths and identify areas for development. Staff say they feel well supported by leaders and express high levels of well-being in their roles.
• Children respond positively to staff guidance and demonstrate their understanding of behavioural expectations. Staff talk to children about pre-school 'golden rules' and provide gentle reminders about the impact of actions on others. For instance, staff encourage children to check around them before throwing leaves in the air, ensuring the safety of others.
• Staff support children's mathematical development through play. Children learn about quantity as they pour water halfway into a cup. They identify different sized spoons as they combine ingredients to make play dough. Children enjoy counting aloud with staff, such as the number of staff and children present.
• Staff celebrate children's uniqueness. They gather information about children's cultural backgrounds from families. They use this information to integrate festival celebrations relevant to them. This helps to support all children's awareness of themselves, others and cultural diversity.
• Staff broaden children's experiences and knowledge of the world around them. Children benefit from visits from people in different professions, such as doctors and fire officers. Staff encourage children to gain an early understanding of sustainability, such as teaching them about recycling. This helps children gain valuable learning about the wider world.
• Children develop independence through the daily routine. Children store their own belongings and staff support them to manage tasks, such as handwashing and blowing noses. Staff help children to independently follow the daily routine. They pre-warn children about imminent transitions to other activities, such as snack time. This helps them to prepare for the change. However, there are occasions when staff do not support children as well as they could during these times, particularly those with SEND. Staff do not consistently use the available visual aids or cues to help children understand instructions.
• Staff establish effective partnerships with parents. Parents appreciate staff's regular communication about children's progress and value suggestions on how they can support learning at home. Staff provide information packs for parents. These help to support parents with aspects of children's development, such as toilet training. Parents of children with SEND feel well supported by staff. They highlight the collaborative approach staff take to develop and implement strategies together. This includes staff's coordination of referrals to external professionals to gain the help children need. All of this helps to promote the best possible outcomes for every child.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to help children to understand instructions and follow routines, particularly those with SEND, such as by consistently using the available visual aids to promote their learning opportunities.