Etwall Preschool

Inclusion: Strong standard

The team has high expectations for every child. This includes those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language. Leaders have built an inclusive environment, where each child is respected. Staff know children and their families well, including those needing extra support. They quickly identify children, who may need help. Staff work closely with parents and carers and professionals, such as speech and language therapists. They tailor professional advice and activities are part of daily routines, helping children to progress effectively.

Staff make sensitive adjustments to the curriculum to ensure all children's individual needs are met. Daily routines remain flexible. This allows staff to offer planned and targeted support for children, such as one-to-one or small-group language work. This helps children to regulate their emotions and ensures they can access the curriculum alongside their peers.

Staff share resources with parents and carers to use at home. They keep families informed about their children's progress and next steps in learning. For example, staff responsible for coordinating the support for children with SEND guide families to further support, such as local community hubs. They attend SEND networks and training, including sensory focused sessions. This enhances staff's knowledge and improves practice across the setting. Staff use visual timetables in sessions to support all children. This embeds routines and eases transitions for children, while promoting their independence.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders ensure the curriculum is inclusive and ambitious, reflecting the setting's context and community. The curriculum responds to children's needs with clear expectations for what they can achieve, especially those facing barriers to their learning. Staff have a solid knowledge of child development and know each child well. Through focused activities, they deliver meaningful experiences that extend children's learning. They prioritise children's independence, which is evident throughout the session. Staff help children gain high levels of confidence in managing their own care needs. For example, during yoga sessions, children practise putting their socks and shoes on and off.

Mathematical language is part of routines and everyday practice. Children confidently count in sequence during their play. For example, they count their peers at register time. Furthermore, during parachute games, children learn concepts, such as 'under' and 'over'. Physical development is central to the curriculum, with daily opportunities for children to build their core strength and coordination. For instance, staff replace outdoor learning with an indoor yoga session during extreme heat. Children show off their yoga poses by standing up straight, balancing on one leg and stretching out their arms.

Staff use high-quality interactions to boost children's communication and language. For example, during a book activity, children remained highly engaged as the staff modelled rich vocabulary connected to their home languages. Staff weave familiar cultural references throughout. This enables children to make meaningful links between the book and their own experiences, supporting language comprehension and confidence in communication. There is a consistent focus on children's vocabulary, oral language and comprehension, visible in rhymes, songs and shared books. Staff use repetition effectively in targeted activities for children facing barriers to their learning, including structured sessions, such as 'bucket time'. This supports children's sustained attention, reinforces key vocabulary and promotes language development for all children.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who face barriers to their learning, make excellent progress from their starting points. They form positive relationships with their peers and staff. Children who speak English as an additional language develop communication skills through visual aids and support in their home languages. As a result, they make rapid progress in their speech and language development.

Children are confident, engaged and curious, exploring the environment with enthusiasm. They are able to sustain their concentration, particularly during activities where they are encouraged to problem solve. Their recall is excellent for their age and stage of development, remembering, for example, what was learned in previous sessions. Children's self-help skills are evident. For instance, 2-year-old children begin pouring their own drinks while older children peel their own fruit. Children develop their independence all day. This helps children to move easily between activities. It also prepares older children for the transition to school. Children have high levels of self-esteem. They demonstrate a sense of pride and achievement when completing tasks, which is celebrated and shared with parents/carers.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

The team fosters a respectful, nurturing and inclusive culture, where every child is valued and supported. Routines are fully embedded. For example without prompting, children know where to put their personal belongings and to wash their hands before snack time. This enables children to move confidently through the session with a clear understanding of expectations. Staff are calm and positive role models, who demonstrate kindness and professionalism. Children mirror this in their interactions, for example they share and take turns during activities and routines. This contributes to children's positive relationships and attitudes towards their learning.

A clear process is in place to monitor children's attendance. Leaders work closely with families to identify and remove barriers. They use ongoing reviews to recognise and address patterns promptly. Visual timetables and predictable structures help children to feel secure and promote their independence, for example children that are new to the setting benefit from the use of pictorial sequence to understand what is happening next, which supports their emotional needs.

The environment reflects a positive and inclusive ethos. This backed by deep relationships and a commitment to ensuring every child feels safe and ready to learn. Staff create a varied and stimulating environment that keeps children engaged. For example, children gather together and share a world map book, taking turns to discuss countries they have visited.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

Leaders and staff ensure all children and their families feel valued and welcomed. They prioritise children's welfare and emotional wellbeing. Staff have a detailed understanding of every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and from diverse backgrounds. For example, staff gather detailed information from parents and carers when children first start at the setting. Additionally, they meet regularly to discuss children's progress and next stages of learning. Routines are secure and children confidently manage their own care needs. For example, they independently go to the toilet and serve their own snacks. This helps children to develop long-lasting healthy habits.

Staff promote healthy lifestyles through daily routines. They have regular opportunities to be active, building physical skills through daily movement sessions. Staff plan activities, such as yoga and parachute games, to enable children to stretch and develop gross motor skills. This supports both their physical and emotional health. Furthermore, staff teach children about the importance of posture during mealtimes to help with their digestion and core strength.

The key-person approach works effectively, with staff knowing each child exceptionally well. Children form warm attachments with familiar adults and confidently seek reassurance when needed. They feel safe, develop confidence and show a sense of belonging. For example, on arrival, children know the routine, put away their belongings, help staff complete the register and quickly engage with their chosen play.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leadership is purposeful and focused on continuous improvement. Leaders demonstrate a clear commitment to providing high-quality provision for every child. Leaders have high expectations and place children at the centre of all decisions. They maintain an ambitious vision for the pre-school and understand its strengths and areas for development.

Staff attend training that is shared and embedded into practice. Systems such as appraisals support accountability and professional growth. Leaders and staff identify children needing extra support, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They implement targeted strategies for positive outcomes. The team works together, prioritising the wellbeing of colleagues and families, while maintaining effective partnerships with parents and carers and professionals. Parents praise the management of the setting and the progress their children make.

Effective partnerships with parents and carers support meaningful two-way communication. Staff share information about children's progress and next steps in children's learning clearly. They support families to extend their children's learning at home. For example, staff responsible for coordinating the support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities provide parents and carers with clear information sheets offering practical speech and language advice. Close links with the community, including schools, the library and celebrating local events, such as well dressing where communities come together to decorate the ancient water wells with natural materials, enriches children's experiences. Leadership reflects effective early years practice, characterised by ambition, clarity and a consistent focus on improving outcomes for all children.