Doddiscombsleigh Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and quickly engage in activities of their choosing. They experience a curriculum that is ambitious and promotes a love of learning. This supports all children to make good progress in their learning. Children make choices about their play and develop their ideas. They explore the environment, sharing and taking turns with others. For example, children imagine a deserted beach where 'pirates dig for treasure' in the sand as they play. Children are expressive and create paintings. They are eager to describe them to staff. Staff enthuse about children's masterpieces, and children feel proud. Children share books with friends and giggle at pictures as they use them to tell stories. Their early reading skills blossom.

Staff encourage positive behaviour, and children make good choices. They show respect and kindness towards each other. Children share toys and take turns with support and praise from staff. Staff have high expectations of the children and know them well. They support each child's character and uniqueness to flourish. Staff promote independence, and children show good levels of perseverance. Staff provide reassurance and help to children as needed. Children play outside daily and develop coordination, balance and core strength. Children relish the many opportunities to be active.

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

• Staff track children's progress and development and know the children well. They identify children who need outside agency support and refer rapidly. Children receive the right help, at the right time, to support optimal progress.
• Younger children have their growing independence well supported by staff. Staff teach children strategies to succeed with tasks by themselves. For example, they teach simple methods for children to put on their coat or put shoes on the correct feet. Older children are well prepared for their transition to school. Staff support children to be confident, resilient and develop effective social skills.
• Children enjoy learning activities that are inspired by seasonal changes and celebrations. They are eager to create bird nests and enjoy using binoculars to view birds in the trees. Children have reference sheets and enjoy categorising birds they spot. Children connect with nature and develop their understanding of the local community.
• Adult-led activities are a daily event. However, they are not always effectively targeted so that all children can engage in the learning. Staff sometimes expect children to listen, maintain attention and focus longer than is appropriate for their stage of development. At times, some children become restless and disrupt the learning of others.
• Staff model language well for children. They speak clearly and provide simple, clear instructions. Staff use new words with children as they play alongside them. Children adopt these eagerly. For example, they hear the word binoculars and enthusiastically declare, 'Binoculars are magic. You can look at things far, far away.'
• Children enjoy daily activities that support their progress in all areas of the curriculum. However, they often ask, 'What's next?' and find transition times challenging. Staff do not routinely support children to develop familiarity and confidence in what is going to happen next in their day.
• Staff support children to share their ideas and opinions as they play and learn. Children sometimes find it hard though to effectively communicate their frustrations and wants and needs.
• Staff extend learning as children play. For example, children create 'potions' and fill bottles with their mixes. Staff encourage children to solve problems. For example, they encourage them to compare the amount of liquid in each potion bottle.
• Effective leaders provide good support and leadership for staff. Management, staff and committee are reflective about their practice. They adapt provision to best support the learning and development needs of all children. Staff well-being is a priority for leaders. Staff feel valued and appreciated in their roles.
• Children enjoy social snack times and lunches. They pour their own milk and chat with staff and friends about healthy habits. Children can have hot lunches that are prepared on site, which support a well-balanced healthy diet.
• Partnerships with parents are superb. Parents appreciate the frequent communication they receive about children's learning and development. They value staff's guidance on how best to support learning at home. Parents praise staff and feel their kindness, care and professionalism are exceptional.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more support to help those children that need extra help to develop familiarity and confidence in daily routines and activities
• support children's communication skills to enable them to share their needs and wants effectively
• provide children with the support they need to develop their listening and attention skills during adult-led activities.