Delaware Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at the nursery and feel secure in staff's care. Parents comment that their children ask eagerly if they are going to nursery each morning. Children arrive confidently and some forget to say goodbye to their parents at the door due to their excitement at seeing their friends and staff. On the occasion when babies and toddlers arrive feeling upset, staff are sensitive and give them reassuring cuddles to help them settle quickly. Children play well alongside and with each other and are keen to offer their help. For example, when staff announce it is time to pack away the toys, older children return the toys to a box and then help each other to lift and carry it back to the cupboard.

Babies and toddlers are fascinated by the sounds that bells make and enjoy shaking and banging them to create different noises. They learn to balance and climb, and they crawl around the room to explore the resources. Older children are interested in nature and staff support them to develop their understanding of the natural world. The children know to approach birds and insects quietly and slowly in the garden, and are keen to look at them more closely using magnifying glasses. Staff provide strong support for the older children's literacy development. Children learn to recognise their written name and to identify the letters and sounds in their friends' names.

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

• The manager and staff have a good knowledge and understanding of what they want children to learn and achieve. Staff provide children with attractive and stimulating learning environments. Children are eager to try new things and take part in activities. At times, whole-group activities in the pre-school room are not organised as effectively as they could be to support and engage all children and extend their learning further.
• The manager coaches and supports staff to implement a broad curriculum and help all children to make good progress. However, staff working with the babies and toddlers do not target each child's learning needs as effectively as the staff working with the older children.
• Staff narrate what children are doing, ask questions and model language effectively. Babies communicate confidently, such as saying 'quack' when they show staff the toy duck they have found. Older children express themselves clearly and use a broad vocabulary, such as when talking about their muscles and asking staff to listen to their 'riddle'.
• Staff support children's personal development well. They remind children patiently to wait until their friends have finished talking before they speak and help them learn to take turns with toys. Older children manage their self-care needs independently, such as putting on and taking off their shoes and coats.
• The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents, other agencies and staff to reduce any gaps in children's development. Staff identify promptly when children may benefit from additional support and implement strategies to target their individual needs.
• Children form close relationships with the friendly and caring staff team. Toddlers initiate games of peekaboo with staff and laugh happily as they play. Older children invite staff to join in with their games and express their ideas playfully. For example, children ask staff to pretend to wind them up and then they shuffle away like a robotic, mechanical toy.
• Staff provide good support for children's mathematical development. They model mathematical language when babies and toddlers fill and empty containers at the water tray. Staff talk about sizes, as they encourage older children to compare their hands with others and help them to count and recognise numbers.
• Children behave well. They listen to staff and follow their instructions. Staff explain the reasons for the rules to help children to recognise potential risks around them. For example, staff talk to children about how to use the swing safely without getting rope burns and about wearing the correct-size boots so they do not trip.
• Partnerships with parents are successful. Staff share detailed information with parents about their children's care and learning, so they can continue to build on what children know and can do at home. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager and staff have worked closely with parents, including providing resources and equipment to support families and promote consistency in children's care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of whole-group activities for older children to support them to concentrate and become more deeply involved and to extend their learning further
• strengthen the monitoring, support and coaching for the staff working with the youngest children to help them to target each child's individual learning needs more consistently.