Eastern Green Pre-School Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children swiftly separate from their parents and are eager to get inside the pre-school to begin their learning. Children immediately seek out and engage in playing with their friends, who they share extremely strong friendships with. The superb variety of activities on offer wonderfully support all areas of the children's development and provides them with a vast amount of choice.

Children's behaviour is outstanding. They have a superb understanding of what is expected of them, and they practise the skills they learn to help them play harmoniously with one another. Children confidently attempt to resolve conflicts with their peers independently. At times, when they are unsuccessful, they articulately explain to staff, 'he won't let me in the tunnel, and that's not caring and sharing'. On the children's request, staff intervene to support them in ensuring fair play.

Children thoroughly enjoy a wonderful range of role-play opportunities. They care for dolls by dressing them to keep them warm when they take them outdoors in a pushchair. Children pretend to cook on a pretend hob with fresh produce, such as vegetables. Children's understanding of the importance of oral health is fantastically promoted. They pretend to be a dentist with a set of teeth and tools, such as drills and dough that they use as fillings. Children learn about foods to avoid, such as too much sugar, to keep their teeth strong and healthy.

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

• The manager has extremely high expectations of all of her staff team and other individuals associated with the pre-school, such as members of the committee. She implements robust recruitment procedures. For example, persons interested in becoming part of the committee are requested to complete a statement of interest and attend an interview. Checks undertaken on staff are very thorough and include two references, one of which must be from their most recent employer.
• The manager has devised an exceptionally well-focused intent for the curriculum. With input from her staff team, together they have successfully considered the impact the recent COVID-19 pandemic had on the children's progress and their families' lives. The curriculum intent is also highly ambitious and effective in ensuring that children with additional needs get the support they need to make maximum progress in relation to their starting points.
• Children's communication and language is superbly enhanced. Children are introduced to a great variety of language through the activities. For example, they learn and begin to use words, such as shiny, squidgy and scales. Children frequently focus and engage in conversations in planned small-group times and on a one-to-one basis with their peers, staff and visitors to the setting. Children are confident and articulate individuals. During group time, the deputy manager suggested the children find out what the inspector's name is. Children were extremely keen to take on this task and find out. They immediately stand up, approach the inspector and introduce themselves. Throughout the session, children enjoyed speaking to the inspector, sharing their views and their previous play experiences.
• Children's personal, social and emotional development is extensively enhanced. Staff know the children and their personalities extremely well. They are extremely aware of the signs that a child is about to become distressed, and they swiftly implement strategies to prevent a temper tantrum and help the children to regulate their own behaviour. Staff are highly successful in explaining to the children why certain behaviours are not appropriate.
• Ongoing risk assessments, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mean parents currently do not enter the pre-school to collect their children. Despite this, staff work extremely hard to help to ensure parents understand the experiences that their children have during their time spent in the pre-school.
• Parents overwhelmingly applaud all aspects of the service. They enthusiastically express how brilliant the care and education is for their children who currently attend. Some children have older siblings that used to also attend and parents share they were fantastically supported to be school ready with seamless transitions on to school.