Duke Street Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at this welcoming setting. Staff support children to become independent as children confidently find their pegs to hang up their coats and hats. Children are confident to seek staff out if they need support or a cuddle. This shows that children feel safe and secure. Children display high levels of engagement as they take part in the planned activities that staff provide. They share prior learning about how birds eat different bugs as they go on a bug hunt. Staff listen intently as children excitedly talk about the ladybirds they have seen in the garden.

Staff are good role models and support children to be respectful. They model 'please' and 'thank you' as they offer children their snack and remind them not to talk with their mouth full. Children listen to the adults and follow their instructions well. At tidy-up time, children help to put the toys away and sweep up bird seed that has fallen on the floor. Staff praise the children for tidying up so well. This helps to build children's confidence and self-esteem. Children learn how to be safe. Staff remind them to use 'walking feet' inside and to keep all four feet of their chair on the floor.

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

• Leaders and staff work well together as a team. Staff positively support each other and say they feel valued. Supervision meetings provide opportunities for staff to reflect on their practise and identify what training they might need to improve their knowledge and skills. Staff are encouraged to contribute to the development of the setting.
• Staff know the children well. They build on children's interests by providing opportunities that enable them to widen their experiences, for instance taking trips on a bus as they explore transport. However, staff do not always carefully consider children's next steps when planning activities for their independent learning, for example activities to develop their fine motor skills. This means children are not able to practise the skills they will need for the next stage of their development.
• Staff support children's independence and self-care skills well. Children learn why they need to wash their hands. At snack time, children are encouraged to spread the butter on their toast using a knife and to pour their own drinks. Younger children are supported by staff as they talk through how to hold the jug with two hands.
• In general, staff support children to behave well. They remind children to take turns and to speak kindly to their friends. However, staff do not consistently reinforce the behavioural expectations they have for the children. As a result, children's behaviour deteriorates and can become disruptive in group activities, such as snack time.
• Staff understand the importance of using their community to provide exciting experiences for the children. They plan regular trips to the local fire station, shops and park. Local childminders visit the setting with the children they care for. This helps children make new friendships and develop their emerging social skills.
• Staff support children's communication and language well. They ask open questions and give children the time to think and respond. Children spontaneously sing nursery rhymes they have learned as they play. Quality interactions with staff mean children learn new vocabulary, such as 'flippers' and 'waddle' to describe how penguins move. Children talk with confidence as staff listen with interest to what they say.
• Overall, staff support children's development of early reading. Books are available at activities for children to look at and read with staff. However, staff do not plan regular opportunities for children to engage in quality story time. Stories that are read are not always suitable for the age and development of the children. Consequently, children lose interest and become disengaged. As a result, children do not learn to enjoy stories and develop a love of reading.
• Staff have built relationships with parents. They update parents about their child's day during daily conversations and via an online app. Parents state that their children enjoy going to the setting. They comment on the support and guidance offered, for example how they can support potty training at home. Overall, parents are happy with the care their children receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the planning to focus more sharply on children's next steps to enable them to practise new skills
• support staff to manage children's behaviour in clear and consistent ways so children understand what is expected of them
• support children's early reading further by providing opportunities for quality story time, using age-appropriate stories.