Fleckney Baptist Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have a compassionate nature and develop close friendships with others. They hold hands and smile as they choose from a range of resources in the garden. Children listen carefully and follow the instructions staff give them on how to move their bodies to successfully hula hoop. They learn new physical skills and show determination, laughing and trying to make the hoop stay on their hips for longer. Children use positive phrases they learn from staff to praise each other, such as 'good try'. They happily share the resources and remind each other that 'sharing is caring'. Children know what staff expect of them and behave well. They put resources away and help each other to tidy up. When staff ask them to, the children line up ready to go inside and help to count how many children there are.

Children develop close bonds with all staff, which helps them feel safe and secure. They are confident and are happy to share their ideas and humour with staff. Children enjoy listening to a story about a pirate's gold pants, putting their hands up to ask questions and making suggestions about what the shark is doing. They learn new vocabulary from staff, including that a 'cutlass' is a type of sword. They request songs related to the story, such as 'Over the Deep Blue Sea'. All children join in with the words and actions, and they enjoy pretending to be pirates.

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

• The experienced staff team knows how to support children to make progress in all areas of learning. Staff observe children throughout the day to identify what they already know and can do and what they need to learn next. Staff consider what they know about children's development. They use information received from parents and carers to carefully plan the best way to support children. Staff show great compassion when helping children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to access the learning opportunities available.
• Staff put specific support in place to help children develop their communication and speech. They plan small group activities in a calm 'sensory room'. Staff help children take turns and play a game with different flash cards. They encourage children to practise saying words such as 'igloo', and teach them new vocabulary, such as 'yacht'. Staff make sure children have enough time to think and respond.
• Staff plan engaging activities based on what children are interested in. Older children use whiteboards, markers and magnetic shapes to make pictures. Staff help children develop extensive mark-making skills and correct pencil grip. Children use their imagination to discuss how the 'quarter circle' looks like a pizza and what toppings they each like. However, occasionally, staff do not notice when some children need further support to get the most from their chosen play. Therefore, at times, children struggle to extend their own learning.
• Children happily separate from parents and say 'good morning' to each other. They talk with staff about how they are feeling and know the words to describe their emotions. Staff teach them how to take care of their belongings. Children put their bags down in a row and sit patiently waiting for their friends. Children walk up the stairs without needing help and follow staff's instructions to hold the banister.
• Leaders have a clear plan for continuing to improve the pre-school. They reflect on the environment and activities provided by staff and make improvements when needed.
• Leaders provide staff with mandatory training, including safeguarding. However, procedures are not yet embedded for identifying and providing the appropriate support for individual staff to develop the knowledge and skills they need. Consequently, the quality of teaching, and therefore learning, is not always consistently of the highest standard.
• Staff work closely with other settings that children attend to improve the consistency of support they receive. Staff liaise with other settings about any extra funding children receive. They help provide children with experiences they may not get elsewhere, such as trips to the zoo.
• Parents are complimentary about staff and the pre-school. They comment that joining was the 'best thing they ever did' and that children 'love every second'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to provide further help for all children who need it to learn the most they can during play
• provide further support for staff to extend their knowledge and skills, to improve the consistency of high-quality learning.