Fairhaven Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed by warm, nurturing staff. They hang up their coats and belongings and quickly settle into learning at one of the exciting activities. They are confident and behave extremely well. Staff are effective role models and have clear expectations. As a result, children follow the daily routine and feel safe and secure.

Children have access to fresh air during most of the day as they move freely between the indoor environment and garden. Outside, children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning as they eagerly join in with their peers in the mud kitchen. They collect a variety of natural materials around the garden and mud from the digging area. They create 'soup' and 'chocolate pudding', which they share with staff. They take turns to stir the mixture and give each other instructions to collect more ingredients to make it 'extra tasty'.

The staff make good use of the local community around the pre-school. Children take part in weekly visits to a local woodland and garden, where they take part in forest school activities and expressive arts. Children are learning about nature and the natural world around them. Staff have developed close links with the local primary school. Children join in with a variety of shared activities and visits. As a result, children are well prepared for their transition to school.

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

• The newly appointed manager is enthusiastic, with a clear vision for future development. She has implemented a variety of ways to engage with parents. This includes the introduction of newsletters, a parent messaging group, share days and an online learning journal. However, the new manager has not yet had time to further develop performance management procedures to identify and address weaknesses in staff teaching.
• Parents speak highly of the staff and the activities they offer. They feel well informed about their children's learning. Staff work closely with parents to gather information about their key children prior to them starting at the pre-school. The staff use this information to plan an ambitious curriculum that is motivating and covers the seven areas of learning.
• Staff promote early literacy skills. Children have opportunities to develop early writing. For example, younger children use felt tips to make marks. Outside, older children use clipboards to make labels and list ingredients.
• Children have access to a variety of books across the learning environment. Staff frequently use them to extend understanding. For example, children are learning to identify minibeasts. Staff use books to help children identify the features and where they might find them in the garden.
• Staff provide a language-rich environment. Children join in with familiar rhymes and songs. For example, at group times children sing along and follow the actions of 'Wind the bobbin up' and 'Sleeping bunnies'. Staff use their interactions to introduce new words. For example, during a planting activity children learn about the meaning of words such as 'germination', 'sprout' and 'nutrients'.
• Children have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills. Outside, they dig, climb and balance in the well-resourced garden. Inside, they play with jigsaws and craft activities, developing their fine motor and hand-to-eye coordination skills.
• Children generally manage their personal care well. They wash their hands and put on their coats to go outside. However, staff sometimes offer too much support, which limits children's ability to do things for themselves.
• Children behave extremely well for their age and stage of development. They follow instructions, take turns and play collaboratively with their peers. Staff support children to understand their emotions and those of others. For example, staff remind children to be kind and take care of worms they find in the digging area.
• Staff identify gaps in children's learning swiftly and seek professional help when required. The manager works closely with staff and parents to decide the most effective way to use additional funding to meet the learning and development needs of children. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop performance management procedures to identify and address weaknesses in staff teaching
• provide more opportunities for children to become independent and do things for themselves.