Footprints Pre-schools Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily say goodbye to their parents and carers and confidently enter the pre-school. They clearly know the routines and expectations. For example, children understand they need to carefully store their belongings before going to play. Children benefit from an inviting learning environment that staff set up with stimulating resources. They are self-motivated and independently choose what to play with and where to play.

Children are enthusiastic learners. They relish the opportunity they have for long uninterrupted periods to deeply engage in their play and learning. Children dig in sand and investigate toy ducks in the water. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning, each other and the caring staff team.

Children benefit from a curriculum that has been specifically designed to meet their needs. They are learning to be effective communicators, for instance, who can make friends and play with their peers. Children listen attentively to what staff say, such as during engaging story times or when asked to help tidy up. Children learn a good variety of skills from supportive staff. These skills, such as sharing and turn taking, will help children to move on to the next stage in their educational journey.

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

• Staff know the children they care for very well. They understand what children like to do and play with. Using children's interests, staff plan activities that help to stimulate and motivate children's learning. For instance, children enjoy playing with props from familiar stories. Staff use these props very effectively to teach children play skills.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported very well by caring staff. Children with SEND thrive in the highly individualised approach that staff offer to help them close gaps in their learning. This is a key strength at the pre-school.
• Staff build on what children know and can do. They have clear aims for what children can achieve before they move on to school. Children learn about the local community. For example, they develop an understanding of their village. They enjoy walks in the local area to discover nature, visit the library and buy snacks for their friends. Staff help children to learn about similarities and differences. For example, they learn about and celebrate meaningful festivals, and look at different uniforms. Children are learning about the wider world they live in.
• Staff encourage children to develop a love of reading. They support children's excitement about books by being enthusiastic storytellers. Younger children take part in active stories, flapping their wings like dragons and blowing out 'smoke'.
• They giggle and laugh as they join in. Older children learn new words as they listen, entranced by tales of selfish animals. Staff take every opportunity to develop children's vocabulary.
• Overall, children's behaviour is good. They play with their friends and are learning about turn taking and sharing resources. However, occasionally, a few children need a more consistent approach by staff to help them to manage their feelings and emotions.
• Staff recognise that children need to be physically active. They take children to local parks, where children can run and climb energetically. Children enjoy opportunities to play on challenging equipment with their friends.
• Children play collaboratively with their friends and show good levels of independence. However, staff do not recognise when it would be beneficial to join in with children to further support and extend children's learning.
• Staff work effectively with external professionals and local schools to support children's learning. They build positive partnerships with parents, sharing information and offering support for children's learning at home. This ensures high levels of continuity and consistency for children. Parents and carers speak very positively about the care and education that staff provide for their children.
• The manager has worked very hard to train her new staff team to a good level of practice. She is a reflective manager with a clear vision for continuous development and ongoing improvements.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to further develop their awareness of how to consistently support children in understanding and managing their feelings and emotions
• support staff to be make better use of opportunities to join in with children's play, to offer them further challenge and to fully build on their learning.