Egerton Pre-School (Kent)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at this warm and welcoming pre-school, eager to see the staff and their friends. They foster strong bonds with all staff members, who encourage them to independently learn familiar routines, such as hanging up their belongings. The children have access to a wide range of resources and activities both within and beyond the premises. They benefit from an engaging learning environment in the large, airy hall and also enjoy visits into the local community. For instance, they visit the 'pop-up Post Office' to mail letters, explore the changing seasons in the local apple orchard, and practise their physical abilities at the nearby playground.

Children delight in listening to staff members read books, fostering a passion for stories and the discovery of facts within the text. For example, staff introduce children to specialised vocabulary related to lifecycles, including terms like 'froglet' and 'frogspawn'. This curiosity about nature continues outdoors, where children explore and learn about various creatures, such as millipedes. Staff guide the children in handling the creatures with care and placing them back into safe environments, teaching them compassion and respect for all forms of life.

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

• Staff know the children well. They understand their individual interests and plan exciting activities around these, which support children in becoming engaged in their learning. Staff are positive role models. They encourage children to develop friendships and good social skills. There is a strong focus across the nursery on supporting children to share and take-turns. Staff implement strategies that enable children to resolve their own disagreements. Children learn consideration and respect for other's feelings.
• Children demonstrate a growing vocabulary. Staff introduce new words to children as they play and learn. They ask open-ended questions to encourage children to reply using their own words. Staff speak clearly and slowly to children, modelling the correct pronunciation of words to children as they play. Children who find communication difficult, such as those with English as an additional language or with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.
• Children participate in well-established daily routines, such as those during adult-led group sessions. Some staff members acknowledge when children are distracted and help them to focus and participate. However, there are times during the day when staff fail to consistently recognise opportunities to apply their practice, to enhance children's learning and development.
• Children enjoy purposefully planned activities. For example, staff allow children to explore the concept of floating and sinking. They learn how to fold paper to make a boat which they investigate in the water. Other children are supported to watch their cars travel down some guttering pipe, and make predictions about how fast or slow the toys might go. Children are highly enthusiastic and interested in these engaging opportunities.
• The curriculum has a strong focus on teaching children about the community in which they live. Children learn about the similarities and differences between each other, and what makes them unique. This gives children a sense of belonging. However, staff have not thought enough about how the environment fully reflects different cultures on an everyday basis. This does not ensure children are always exposed to the wider world, within the pre-school.
• Parents are very complimentary about the pre-school and staff. They fully appreciate the efforts of staff to support their child and family. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure they always offer the best support for each child. In addition, they make close links with the nearby primary school, to ensure a smooth transition in the next stage of children's educational journey.
• The leaders work tirelessly to review and improve nursery procedures and strive for good quality provision. The manager ensures staff access and attend a range of training opportunities to improve their practice and knowledge. This builds on staff members' strengths and supports their confidence and value within the team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to improve the consistency of their interactions and good practice with children
• strengthen ways to introduce children to other communities and diversity to help them begin to understand more about the wider world.