Fairhills Pre-School Irlam CIC

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe at this nurturing setting which is well established in the local community. They are eager to arrive. This is evident as children run into the outstretched arms of the kind and caring staff. Children who are new to the setting are supported well. Staff help them to find their picture and peg so they can hang up their coats and bags. This helps children to feel a sense of belonging. Staff use their knowledge of each child to carefully select resources that they know the children will enjoy. This helps children to feel secure, and they settle well.

Managers and staff share the same high expectations for all children. They want children to be confident and independent learners. They plan an ambitious curriculum to support children's progress in readiness for their eventual move to school. For example, staff help children to develop their manipulative skills. This helps to strengthen children's hand muscles in readiness for early writing. The setting has a clear focus on supporting children's language. For example, staff help children to tell familiar stories as they act them out. Children have a tremendous time as they recall a well-known story. They pretend to 'splish' and 'splash' through water. In addition, staff use these experiences to help children learn appropriate behaviour. For example, children learn to listen and to follow instructions. All children behave well.

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

• Staff talk to parents to understand children's likes, dislikes and routines. This helps them to provide activities that children are interested in. Children, including those new to the setting, engage and concentrate well. They show a good attitude to their learning.
• Staff receive ongoing support in their role and feel valued. Regular staff supervision meetings celebrate what staff do well. That said, precise targets to support staff in developing the quality of their teaching and the implementation of the curriculum are not consistently established. Some staff are unclear on how they can continue to improve their effectiveness.
• Children have many opportunities to build their physical skills. For example, staff provide activities where children can crawl through tunnels or balance on beams. This helps children to build their large muscles and coordination.
• Staff demonstrate consistently kind and calm behaviour. They talk to children about emotions, using books and puppets to discuss feelings. In addition, staff join children's play. This means they can swiftly help children to resolve conflicts. As a result, children play well together, and they consider their friends. Children's behaviour is good.
• Partnership working is a strength of the setting. Parents receive regular updates on their child's care and learning. The setting has established robust links with childcare professionals such as speech and language therapists and health visitors. The setting makes good use of local authority support. For example, it accesses training and attends forums. This helps to build its knowledge and keep learning current.
• Staff deployment is good. Staff work closely together to ensure that children are supervised during play. This helps to keep children safe. In addition, staff use ongoing risk assessment to ensure play areas are safe and suitable. For example, they quickly clear any spills as children learn to pour water into their cups. When children do have an accident, staff are on hand. This means they can sensitively support children with hugs and appropriate first aid.
• Children are eager to investigate when playing outdoors. They use magnifying glasses to count the legs on insects. Staff encourage children to be kind to the insects. For example, they remind them to be gentle as they move a snail to the bug hotel. Children build their knowledge of nature and the world around them.
• The setting uses the strong partnerships with teaching staff at local schools to plan smooth transitions for children. All necessary information is shared to keep children safe and to help their learning to be continuous. In addition, staff talk to children about their move to school. They offer school uniforms for children to dress up in and they read books about school. This helps children to be prepared for their next stage in learning.
• Hygiene routines are in place and are consistently followed by staff and children. Staff support children's independence by encouraging them to manage handwashing throughout the day. Children know that they should wash their hands following messy activities, before lunch and after using the toilet. Children develop good hygiene habits. They become confident in managing some of their self-care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen support to staff and precisely identify how they can enhance their teaching skills and implementation of the curriculum.