Dunkeswell Pre-school CIO

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly and feel secure to happily explore the resources and activities. They make choices and develop a positive attitude to learning. They have strong relationships with staff, who know them well and meet their needs successfully. The manager and staff plan an effective curriculum, identifying what each child needs to be learning next. All children receive the same good-quality learning opportunities to make the best progress they can. Children become increasingly independent. They take care of the environment, wash up paint pots and help to tidy up. They gain a good understanding of health and hygiene. Snack time is a social occasion. Staff encourage children to wash their hands, get their own snack and water bottle, and carry these to the table. They choose which cereal to have and pour their milk. Staff are provide role models by helping and thanking each other.

Leaders deploy staff effectively so that children can make choices and become active learners. Children have daily opportunities to be outdoors and enjoy exercise. They develop large-muscle skills and control as they climb, balance and use the slide. Children eagerly talk about the setting's new allotment, how they grow vegetables and the life cycle of a seed. Staff plan successfully to cover all areas of development indoors and outdoors, so children can choose where they prefer to learn.

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

• Staff work closely with parents to understand what children can already do when they start at the setting. They use their own observations well to identify any differences and focus their planning on what children need to be learning next. The manager monitors the children's assessments to ensure that they are accurate and to identify any gaps quickly. Children receive early help and good support to catch up.
• Staff plan good small-group activities to support children's individual needs and help older children to get ready for school. For example, they enjoy a game of recognising the sounds of creatures, which helps them to listen and concentrate. They take it in turns to tell each other their news and have good opportunities to ask and answer questions.
• Children become confident communicators. Staff engage them in meaningful discussions and help them to vocalise what they know. Children enjoy books independently and as a group, extending their vocabulary. Staff plan interesting ways to help children make links across their learning. For example, they use a family tree to spark conversations, emotional language and children's understanding of their uniqueness and others' differences.
• Overall, children's behaviour is good. They understand the staff's expectations and instructions, such as 'stop', may be necessary for safety and they must respond. Staff quickly intervene when minor squabbles occur. They help children to understand their emotions and resolve any conflict, such as by using a sand timer to share resources. Children take pride in their achievements. For example, they take their creations to staff to show them what they have made and happily discuss what they had to do.
• Staff pose problems for children and help them to discover if they are correct through trial and error, such as finding out if a car can go down the ramp without being pushed. Staff provide good support for children to persevere with physical tasks; putting an apron on, for example. However, sometimes, staff do not give children enough time to consider how they could solve a problem. On occasions, they take over where a child could manage for themselves.
• The manager and deputy work directly with the staff and children, providing good role models, ongoing supervision and support. Staff work well as a team. Together they continually evaluate their practice and look for ways to improve. Staff have good opportunities for training to support children's development further. For example, they have extended their awareness of what can trigger inappropriate behaviour, such as sensitivity to certain clothing.
• Good partnerships with parents and others involved in children's care and development ensure that children receive consistent support, such as when potty training. Parents are very positive about the setting, especially the staff. They comment on how well their children's language skills and confidence have developed since attending.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus staff development on helping children to think of solutions to problems and manage as much as they can to resolve these themselves.