Cubs & Kits Preschool Coquet

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the pre-school and settle quickly. Children who have found it more difficult to settle demonstrate the progress which they are making. This was evident during the inspection when children left the safety of their key person to play with other staff. Staff go above and beyond to support children and their families. For example, staff recognised that the summer holiday is a long time for young children and provided additional free stay-and-play sessions during this time. Parents, especially those of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, speak highly of the support which they have received.

Children learn how they can keep themselves safe. At snack time, children learn how to use knives safely to cut fruit. They understand that they need to sweep the floor to prevent it from becoming slippery. Staff have high expectations of children's learning. The current staff team has recently joined the pre-school. Since starting, staff have made significant changes to support children to learn. These changes have helped children to concentrate. For example, children listen and join in with stories.

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

• Staff know where children are in their learning. The activities which they plan are clearly focused on developing children's skills further. For example, staff focus on the key words that they want children to learn this term. They put out apples and the peel, core and flesh of apples to support children to explore a range of objects.
• Staff constantly evaluate the quality of the provision and make changes to improve the provision further. For example, they have recently altered the story-time session and provided cushions for children to sit on and toys to hold that relate to the book. This has helped children to settle and listen to the story quicker. During the inspection, children listened to stories and eagerly named the different animals in the book.
• Staff manage children's behaviour well. They have clear expectations which they consistently reinforce. For example, staff make sure that children have aprons on before they play in the water or mud kitchen. When children take them off, staff gently remind them that they need aprons on and remind them of consequences.
• Staff have a clear focus on developing children's personal and social skills and their communication and language. They have thought carefully about how they can help children to develop their communication. For example, staff identify vocabulary that they want children to learn. They generally adapt their language effectively. For example, staff demonstrate the use of two- and three-word phrases. However, occasionally, staff do not give children enough opportunities to express their thoughts and ideas. Staff are currently focusing on giving children more time to communicate. The manager recognises that this is not yet fully embedded.
• Staff have developed excellent relationships with parents. They talk to parents about what their children are doing and provide support, especially when settling children in. Parents value the wealth of information they get about children's learning through an electronic system.
• Staff work extremely well with a range of professionals to support children and their families. Staff have strong links with healthcare professionals and seek advice and support from them. Staff find out about any priorities within the local area and take effective action to develop this in pre-school. They are currently focusing on oral hygiene following a rise in incidences of tooth decay.
• Overall, staff support children's play and learning effectively. For example, they get down on a level with children, follow their lead and comment on what they are doing. However, occasionally, staff do not give children enough time to explore things for themselves and find solutions to problems. For example, they do not give children time to realise that sieves do not hold sand before offering them more suitable alternatives.
• Staff give clear messages to children and parents about how they can keep themselves healthy. For example, children learn how to brush their teeth. Staff talk to parents about good oral hygiene at home. They send home toothbrushes and toothpaste to establish good oral health at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen communication and language and ensure that children have time to think and respond to questions and statements
• give children time to explore things for themselves to find out how things work and to find solutions to problems.