Eckington Under Fives

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy at this welcoming and homely pre-school. They develop extremely close relationships with staff and their peers. The kind and nurturing staff team knows children extremely well and demonstrates a strong awareness of their individual interests and needs. Staff purposefully put out resources that they know children will enjoy, which helps them to settle quickly. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at pre-school and are confident to express themselves. They are very familiar with the pre-school routines and respond well to the simple instructions staff give to them. For example, they work together to tidy up the environment after their activities have ended and understand the need to wash their hands before they eat their snacks and meals.

Staff provide children with an exciting and ambitious curriculum. They have a secure understanding of child development and recognise what skills they need to prioritise in order for children to be prepared for the next stage in their learning. Staff successfully promote children's communication and language skills. They expose children to a rich range of language, model the correct pronunciation of words and sounds and carefully introduce more complex vocabulary. As a result, all children become confident communicators and make good progress in their learning.

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

• The curriculum has a strong focus on outdoor learning. Staff are enthusiastic about supporting children's learning through outdoor play. Children thoroughly enjoy spending time in the extensive outdoor space and benefit from weekly forest school sessions on site. Children's physical development is progressing extremely well. They are confident to navigate physical equipment, including climbing the slide and riding trikes, which also helps to develop their strength and stamina.
• The pre-school engages with the local community and provides children with a range of opportunities to extend their learning further. Copious experiences, such as visiting the local church each year to decorate a Christmas tree, contribute to children's understanding of the world. The pre-school also promotes intergenerational relationships and regularly invites grandparents as 'secret storytellers' to encourage children to develop a love for reading from an early age.
• Leaders work closely with staff and ensure their well-being is prioritised. Staff report that they are happy and feel supported in their roles. Leaders carry out regular supervision meetings with staff to review their performance and reflect on their practice. However, leaders do not always use these reflections to focus staff's professional development more sharply to enhance their already good teaching skills to an even higher level.
• Staff routinely monitor children's progress to swiftly identify and tackle any gaps in their learning. Staff recently recognised children did not always engage in imaginative play. They have made adaptations to the environment and planned activities to support children further in this area. As a result, children now show a great interest in role play and are highly imaginative. They pretend to make staff a cup of tea in the role-play kitchen. Staff further use this opportunity to teach children the names of fruit and vegetables as they maintain engagement.
• Staff are committed to developing secure connections with parents and their extended families. Parents speak positively about the pre-school and the care their children receive. They comment that staff are an extension of their family and skilfully adapt their teaching to meet children's individual needs. Parents discuss that they are kept regularly informed about their children's interests and progress.
• Children choose from a variety of activities that ignite their curiosity. They display positive attitudes and maintain enjoyment as they play. They benefit from lots of praise and encouragement from staff. They demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude and persist as they scoop water into jugs to pour over dinosaurs in the activity tray.
• Leaders implement robust policies and procedures that successfully promote children's learning, development and welfare. In particular, there are clear processes in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work closely with parents and relevant professionals to ensure that any children with SEND receive the support they require at the earliest opportunity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• reflect more precisely on staff's professional development to elevate their already good teaching practice, knowledge and skills to the highest possible level.