Early Days Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive and have immense fun in this safe, highly nurturing and caring pre-school. Children are at the heart of everything staff do. Staff carry out home visits and gather information so they can plan for children's learning needs. As a result, children feel safe and secure and form lovely relationships with the staff. Children behave well and have a good attitude to learning. They follow simple instructions and respond positively when staff prepare them for changes in their routine such as tidy-up time. Children call out, 'It's tidy up time'. Staff encourage children to share and take turns and use good manners, such as 'please' and 'thank you'.

Staff plan a broad and stimulating curriculum tailored to meet the needs of all the children. From the moment children arrive, they engage in rich experiences that are carefully planned to inspire them to become active learners. Children have a 'can do' attitude' as they explore an Antarctic theme in the tray with ice and toy animals, such as penguins and seals. Staff engage children in meaningful conversations that ignite their curiosity. They ask questions, such as 'What other animals live in the Antarctic?' Children say, 'Polar bears'. Staff ask 'What happens to ice when it melts?' Children share their thoughts and say, 'Water'.

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

• The management team has created a curriculum that follows children's interests. They build on what children know and can do, to enable them to make the best possible progress. Children collaboratively play together as they take part in keeping a large parachute up in the air. They cheer everyone on as they coordinate their movements and raise the parachute higher or lower it to the ground.
• Children's communication and language skills are well supported. Staff role model language and repeat words back, so children hear the correct pronunciation. They engage in purposeful back-and-forth conversations and narrate their play. Staff introduce new vocabulary, such as 'stretchy'. They ask questions and give children time to think and respond. This supports all children, including those with speech delay, to make good progress in their language development.
• Staff support children well to become increasingly independent. Children relish the responsibility of finding their name through self-registration. They confidently make choices on what peg they want to hang their coat and bag on. Children pour out their drinks. They peel and cut their fruit up at snack time.
• The special education needs coordinator has high aspirations for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works closely with families and external services to implement effective strategies to provide targeted support. As a result, children access a curriculum that meets their needs and provides them with positive learning experiences. The management team uses additional funding to buy resources to enhance the children's learning needs.
• The stimulating and engaging learning environment motivates children to participate in activities. As a result, children develop new knowledge and skills across areas of the curriculum. During circle time, children come together to build on what they know about the days of the week. They develop hand-to-eye coordination as they manipulate the play dough into small shapes. Children learn new vocabulary. However, in mathematics, at times staff do not build on what children already know and can do. Although children are acquiring some mathematical skills through their play, their progress in this area is not as secure.
• The management team is exceptional. They meet with other childcare providers and share their ideas and new initiatives. Staff are very enthusiastic and keen to develop their professional development. They seek out training courses to enhance their knowledge. They learn new skills, which they embed into the everyday running of the pre-school, such as behaviour strategies and supporting children's communication skills. The impact of the training is evident as children are making good progress in these areas.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents talk positively about the caring staff and the progress that their children are making. They state that they are regularly kept up to date with their children's learning. Parents comment on how much they enjoy the stay-and-play sessions and that the pre-school is a 'creative' and 'fun' place for children to thrive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement the mathematical curriculum consistently to enhance children's knowledge and skills further.