Farmborough Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly and receive a warm welcome by staff when they arrive. They enthusiastically join in with warm up songs and dances to start their day, supporting their physical development. Staff are wonderful role models and children have fun. As a result, children are motivated and eager to explore the curriculum on offer. Younger children enjoy practising and developing their fine motor skills, such as when creating models, using glue sticks and carefully ripping tissue paper. Older children develop their imaginative play when acting out scenarios with each other. For instance, they comment, 'I will be the mummy and will read this book to you'. As a result, children form caring relationships with each other.

Children have formed secure trusting bonds with their key person, providing children with a sense of belonging and security. Children understand consistent boundaries that staff have put in place and follow instructions well. For example, staff shake the tidy-up bells and begin to joyfully sing the tidy-up song; children join in and pick up the toys. This has a positive impact on children's listening and attention skills.

Parents report positively on the sharing of information. They comment on how their children have progressed well, particularly in their communication and language development. They find that staff have created a 'calm and nurturing' environment, supporting their children's emotional well-being.

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

• Managers are dedicated in providing children with the best possible outcomes across the seven areas of learning. They have worked hard to implement a varied curriculum to suit children's needs, for example, ensuring children have a choice in the activities they want. However, although children enjoy the activities, staff do not always target these to support children's individual next steps in learning.
• Staff gather relevant information to form children's starting points and use observation and assessment effectively to identify gaps in learning. Staff show good knowledge of child development. For example, younger children laugh and enjoy learning about emotions during a shorter group time. Staff recognise that older children can focus and engage for longer periods. Children make good progress.
• Passionate staff promote children's love of literacy and support their communication well. Younger children listen in wonder while staff read books, and they excitedly look at the pictures and predict what happens next. Staff introduce new vocabulary to children, such as 'tusks', and allow children time to process new information. Older children recall parts of the story and staff praise them.
• Staff naturally weave mathematical concepts through children's play and use routines well to support children. For example, staff use opportunities during snack times to encourage younger children's counting skills to five, as they count their fruit pieces. Older children use language such as 'one more' when taking fruit to make the value of six. However, at times, staff miss opportunities to extend and challenge children's learning.
• Staff spend quality time with children to help them develop their understanding and recognition of emotions. Children enjoy matching visual pictures to the correct emotion face. Staff ask children how they feel when they are with their friends and children shout 'happy'. This has a valuable impact on their self-regulation, well-being and future learning.
• The manager works in partnership with other settings that children attend, ensuring smooth transitions and continuous learning. She has created strong partnerships with the school on site ensuring children are ready for their next stage of learning. For example, staff liaise with Reception teachers to provide children with transition books.
• Managers have an ambitious vision for the pre-school. Long-serving staff report that they feel valued and supported. Managers and staff appreciate opportunities to develop their practice and build on their skills. Managers have recently identified training opportunities through supervisions and regular discussions with staff.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop clearer links between the intent and delivery of activities to further support children's individual learning outcomes
• support staff to utilise opportunities to extend and challenge children's learning and development.