Early Birds, Night Owls & Little Ladybirds Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and relish their time in the calm and relaxed pre-school. Careful consideration is given to key-person allocations, and an effective buddy system is in place. This helps the children to form strong and trusting relationships with staff. Children receive a warm welcome on arrival and quickly settle into the activities on offer. Those who are a little unsettled when they first arrive, can access their family pictures and display them where they are playing, for comfort. Staff are polite and kind to children and are excellent role models. The children behave well and are caring and respectful towards each other and the environment. They help each other to open food packets at lunchtime and assist each other in putting shoes on when they go outside.

There is a well-thought-out and ambitious curriculum in place at the pre-school that is adapted according to the needs of the children attending. Leaders have a clear vision of what they want children to learn and achieve, and have high expectations for all children. Staff know all the children well and plan activities that ignite their curiosity and further their development. Children spend extended periods engaging in activities. They can lead and develop their play as they wish. Staff use their interactions during these times to promote the next steps in children's learning. As a result, all children make good progress.

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

• Children are extremely well supported in learning to be independent. The environment is set up so that children can engage in self-chosen play. At mealtimes, children are provided with child-sized jugs so that they can pour their own drinks successfully. Additionally, they self-serve their food and are taught to wash up their own plates. Staff ask children if they would like help with tasks before they support them, and verbally guide children to allow them to be successful. This gives children the opportunity to persevere with tasks independently if they wish. As a result, children show good levels of independence and confidence.
• Children are becoming confident communicators. Staff have meaningful conversations with children that are personal and individual to the child's needs. They model words for the children to hear, and introduce new words to extend their vocabulary. They draw children's attention to noises in the environment, encouraging them to listen carefully to what they hear. Staff make effective use of sign language to support children. Strategies are in place to support children who speak English as an additional language. This helps all children in their good communication and language development.
• Children curiously explore and remain engaged in the enticing activities on offer. During a painting activity, children spend time pouring different paint colours together and mix them with twigs. They watch intently as the colours swirl together, and invite their friends to join in. Staff use these spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning. For example, when children decide to rearrange the obstacle course, staff encourage the children to think for themselves about how they can make it safe to use. This aids their development as they use trial and error to work things out. However, some staff require further support to raise the quality of their interactions with children to a consistently high standard.
• The staff place an emphasis on developing a strong partnership with parents. Parents speak positively about the pre-school and report that their children are happy to attend. They comment that their children have made progress since starting. They are aware of the next steps in their children's learning and are given suggestions about activities that they could complete with their children at home. Parents report on the strong key-person system and valuable home visits that the children receive. They feel that these help their children to settle when they start. The staff work in close partnership with the on-site school and nursery. This ensures continuity of care for the children.
• Staff benefit from supportive and encouraging leaders. Their welfare and well-being are important to them. Leaders identify areas of development for staff. They provide effective mentoring and targeted coaching throughout the day to help them carry out their roles effectively. Staff report that they are well supported in their roles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their interactions with children to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level.