Ditton Church Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the pre-school. They are happy and excited to see their friends and staff. Children are familiar with the daily routines. For example, on arrival, they quickly hang up their coats and find a seat for circle time. Children form strong bonds with staff. The effective key-person system helps children to feel confident, safe and secure.

Children are exceptionally respectful of staff and the environment, which is shown when they wash up their own plates and cups at lunchtime. They listen carefully to adults and respond well when asked to do something. Children show great kindness to their friends and help each other, unprompted, when they need support. For example, older children help younger children to find their coat pegs and a chair at circle time.

All children freely access the garden area throughout the day. They benefit from daily fresh air and exercise, which helps them to learn how to keep themselves healthy. For example, children of all ages successfully build on their physical skills as they confidently ride trikes and scooters. Furthermore, the well-organised and stimulating outdoor area provides many opportunities for children to successfully build on their imaginative skills. For instance, children spend long periods of time cleaning the dinosaur's teeth and serving 'ice cream' in the beach hut.

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

• Children are supported well with transitions, such as the move to school and when starting the setting. For example, settling-in processes are flexible to meet the individual needs of children. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, parents do not come into the building when dropping off and collecting children. However, staff use other methods, such as communication books, to ensure that parents are kept up to date with their child's learning and development.
• Staff provide a stimulating and inclusive learning environment that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can access. They plan a range of exciting activities that cover many areas of learning. For example, children develop their coordination skills and deepen their understanding of nature as they busily work with natural materials. However, occasionally, group activities do not meet the needs of all children. This means that some children do not learn as much as they can from these teaching opportunities.
• Mathematics is fully embedded in the curriculum and children enjoy the exciting activities available to improve their early mathematical skills. For example, they are eager to find hidden numbers in the indoor and outdoor environment. This helps to develop their counting and number-recognition skills.
• Staff are exemplary role models for children. They are extremely kind and respectful when interacting with children, parents and their colleagues. As a result, children are exceptionally polite and well mannered, saying 'please' and 'thank you' unprompted. Older children willingly help their friends when they need assistance. For example, older children help younger children to open their lunch boxes. Additionally, children celebrate each other's achievements, such as cheering for each other when they successfully release objects from ice cubes.
• Staff implement effective ways to teach children how to manage their feelings, such as through discussions. Children are encouraged to talk about and explain their emotions. For example, staff ask 'how do you feel if someone takes your toys?'. This helps children to learn about how their behaviour affects others.
• The management team has identified gaps in children's learning and development that are possibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have implemented successful strategies, such as staff training, to help children catch up. Staff complete training that is focussed on the needs of the children attending. For example, staff are attending forest-school training to enhance the outdoor learning experiences for children even further. Additionally, they have reviewed the environment to include plenty of spaces for children to chat, sing and listen to stories. This effectively helps to enhance children's speech and language skills.
• Partnerships with parents and outside agencies are strong. Staff build good relationships with other settings children attend, such as childminders, to provide continuity in care and learning. Parents speak highly of the dedication and professionalism of staff. They comment on how eager and excited their children are on arrival at the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the organisation of group activities to ensure all children are supported to learn as much as they can.