Ewyas Harold Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very happy and settled at this calm and welcoming pre-school. They are eager to play and motivated to learn because the caring staff team provide them with a wide range of interesting play activities, both inside and outside to support their learning. Children form secure relationships with staff who know them and their families well. They seek a range of information from parents when children first begin to attend. For example, they ask parents about children's current interests and seek information about what they know and can do at home. This helps staff to plan for children's learning from the outset.

Staff are good role models. They sit alongside children to support them in their chosen play. Children are engaged and focused as they pretend to make perfume. They display concentration skills as they try to put petals inside small tubes. Staff ask children questions to support their thinking skills. For example, they ask children to share ideas about what they could use to help. Children quickly find suitable tools, and use them to push the petals down into the tubes. Staff effectively support children's communication and language skills. They engage them in thoughtful conversations. For example, they discuss the different textures and scents. Children are quick to respond and proudly announce 'it smells yummy'.

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

• The leadership and management of the pre-school is strong. They have designated roles and responsibilities and carry these out effectively. The manager is enthusiastic and knows her staff team well. She works alongside them on a daily basis so is able to effectively monitor the quality of their practice. The manager strives to deliver high quality care and education to all children. She seeks staffs' views on what the pre-school does well and together they identify areas for further development.
• The manager and staff are keen to continue with their professional development. They attend training around their individual interests and personal development needs to improve their already good knowledge and skills.
• Children make good progress in all areas of their learning because staff have a secure understanding of how they learn and develop. Staff make regular assessments of what children know and can do and use this information to plan for children's next steps in learning. Staff swiftly identify any gaps in children's learning and put plans in place to help them catch up.
• Staff have good relationships with parents. They speak to them at drop off and collection times about children's time at the pre-school and send out newsletters which contain some information about planned play activities. However, parents do not always know the levels of progress their children make because staff are yet to find fully effective ways to share this information with them.
• Nurturing staff praise children throughout the day for their achievements. They help children to learn about rules and how to behave well. For example, they remind children to use good manners and encourage them to play cooperatively with their friends. Staff encourage children to share if they are feeling happy and sad. However, they are yet to provide children with a wide enough range of experiences to fully support their understanding of a range of emotions so they can precisely communicate their feelings with others.
• Children have lots of opportunities to be physically active and play outside in the fresh air. They excitedly line up and wait their turn to climb, balance and slide on soft play equipment. Care and hygiene practice is good. Children remember to wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day. Staff speak softly to young children as they gently attend to their personal care.
• Staff provide children with fun activities to help them develop their mathematical knowledge. For example, staff hide plastic shapes in the outdoor area for children to find. Staff give children clear instructions. Children listen attentively and take turns to find the hidden shapes. Children correctly identify a triangle, rectangle and square.
• Partnerships with other settings children attend are well established. Staff share information with them to offer a consistent approach to children's learning. The pre-school is set within school grounds. Staff have good relationships with the school and work closely with the head of school and reception teacher to support children's move from pre-school to school. During the summer term, staff invite the reception teacher into the pre-school to meet with children in their own surroundings. They take children to visit the school so they can become familiar with the layout and get to know school staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the already good partnerships with parents to share even more information about children's learning to keep them fully updated about the progress children make
• provide children with even more experiences to learn the language of feelings and emotions to support them to speak precisely with others about how they feel.