Doo Dar Days Ltd t/a Westside

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are incredibly happy and confident in this welcoming and caring pre-school. They have secure and trusting relationships with each other and staff, which helps to support their emotional well-being. Children confidently choose from a wide range of activities. These have been carefully planned by staff to promote their interests and spark their imaginations. For example, children eagerly explore the effects of torches in a dark space and speak about the 'shadows' and 'light and dark'.

Children behave very well. They clearly know the routines and rules. Staff are consistent in their expectations of children's behaviour. They use lots of praise and positive reinforcement. Children are keen to please. They learn to play alongside and with their peers. Children also develop an understanding of how to take responsibility for their environment. They actively help to tidy up after activities, taking on the role of 'special helpers'.

Staff are deployed well throughout the pre-school. They know the children incredibly well. Staff support children's learning by planning well-thought-out activities that help children to reach their next steps in learning. All children are making good progress from their starting points.

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

• Staff have an excellent understanding of the curriculum and how individual children learn. They plan a rich and varied selection of well-organised activities to encourage children to explore and build on what they already know and can do. Children acquire the knowledge and skills they need before they start school.
• The manager and deputy work incredibly well together. They have high expectations of the staff. For example, all staff have regular one-to-one time with management to discuss their key children, their own well-being, and further training opportunities. Staff feel well supported and valued.
• Staff use mathematical language in everyday activities to embed children's knowledge and understanding. For example, staff model to children how to use tape measures so they can see how tall their creations are. They introduce words such as 'centimetres' as they talk about height.
• Staff support children's communication and language well. All staff hold quality back-and-forth conversations with children to promote their emerging and growing vocabulary. Children engage in thoughtful discussions with each other during their play. However, staff do not make full use of opportunities to extend children's language further, such as through books and stories.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are strong. Parents are confident in the knowledge that their children are happy and well cared for at the pre-school.
• They know their children's key person and receive regular communication regarding their children's learning and development.
• Staff have established good links with the community that the pre-school serves. Staff organise trips and events to local parks, shops, and care homes. This helps to broaden children's knowledge of people and communities in the world around them.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is knowledgeable and passionate about her role. The SENCo supports staff to ensure that they can meet the individual needs of all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress. The SENCo and staff have strong relationships with parents and other professionals. This ensures consistency in all children's learning experiences.
• Settling-in sessions prove effective in building important relationships with children and parents. Key people spend time getting to know new children, learning about their interests and likes. Parents spend time in the setting with their children, getting to know staff and the routines.
• Children have lots of opportunities to test their physical abilities. The free-flow access to the outside ensures that children can play and explore where they prefer. For example, children enjoy using tinsel to experiment with how it blows in the wind when they run and then stop.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use a broader range of strategies to further enhance all children's language development and extend their vocabulary.