Dandelions Community Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled. They demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and have formed good relationships with all staff. Children enjoy a good range of toys and resources on offer, which they independently access and have fun exploring with. For example, children show enthusiasm and excitement as they play with the balls and enjoy the fishing games. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have their needs met well by caring and nurturing staff. Staff use additional funding efficiently to support children's individual needs, learning experiences and development. Children are kind and friendly towards each other and are developing friendships well.

Staff know the children well, plan accordingly for them and have high expectations to help children succeed. However, occasionally, some staff do not broaden and challenge children's interests and abilities in order to ensure they achieve their highest potential. For instance, children who are confident to count do not fully have opportunities for their learning to be extended. Children enjoy listening to stories being read to them, and they have fun singing songs. Staff engage with children well overall. For example, they provide a consistent dialogue of communication, which helps children to hear words consistently.

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

• The manager and staff have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. They understand the curriculum well and provide a range of activities that fulfil this and allow for children to make their own choices. For instance, children enjoy exploring with a wide variety of sensory activities. They have fun investigating with different materials, such as crafts, water, mud and sand.
• Children are supported in developing their independence skills very well. They make their own choices and decisions about their play. For example, children can choose where to play, inside or outside. Children are taught to manage their own self-help skills appropriately. For instance, children are encouraged to put on their outside clothing and get tissues to blow their noses. Additionally, they are supported to cut their chosen fruit for snack and pour their own drinks.
• Children's health and well-being are well maintained and supported. Good arrangements are in place for the provision of food and drink, and staff are conscientious of meeting the needs of the children. For example, staff ensure children's allergies are safely managed.
• Children demonstrate friendly behaviour and show that they can work cooperatively with each other. For example, together, they use bricks and lengths of wood to build an obstacle course that they excitedly walk and balance across. Children's physical development is further supported as they enjoy climbing and riding bicycles outside.
• The pre-school's special educational needs coordinator works effectively with staff, parents and children to support them. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of children's individual needs and know what support the children require. All staff work closely with parents and professionals involved in children's care to maintain a consistent approach. This has a positive impact on all children's development and progress.
• Overall, children are supported well in their communication and language. Staff encourage children's listening and attention skills well as they read and engage with them. Staff ask children a good range of questions to encourage speaking skills. However, at times, staff do not give children sufficient time to think and respond to questions before giving them the answer.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents keenly express their views and comment positively about the staff and the service they provide. They comment that their children are developing and how the staff are preparing their children well for their future move to school.
• The leadership team works well with the manager to ensure all staff feel supported. Staff receive regular supervision meetings. These help to review staff's well-being, training aspirations and their day-to-day work. Staff comment that they love working at the pre-school and that they are part of a great team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise and use opportunities to challenge and extend children's emerging interests in order to maximise learning
• support staff to recognise when to give children more time to express their knowledge, think through ideas and respond to questions asked.