Fortune Green Playcentre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well cared for at this inclusive pre-school, where children's well-being is at the heart of practice. Teaching children about healthy eating is a priority. Children take part in weekly food-tasting opportunities to encourage variety in their diet. They excitedly make faces on their plates with the healthy foods that they have chosen for snack. The pre-school works closely with families to ensure that children's nutritional needs are met. Children learn about the importance of oral hygiene; they demonstrate how to brush teeth on giant model mouths.

Parents speak positively about the pre-school and its staff. They feel well informed about their children's learning and development through daily feedback, regular newsletters and written reports. They feel that their children are safe and that staff know their children well. During the pandemic, staff continued to provide support for families. For example, they made regular phone calls and created online videos to help parents to support learning at home.

Children join in enthusiastically with familiar songs throughout the day, including songs that help them to transition smoothly from one activity to the next. Children behave well because they know what is expected of them. If children lose focus, staff skilfully direct them back to the activity. The staff help children to learn to share, take turns and cooperate.

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

• The manager works hard to build strong, supportive relationships with the children and families. She is clear about what she wants children to learn during their time at the pre-school. Staff meet frequently to discuss children's progress and plan activities. They carry out regular observations and assessments to identify what children need to learn next.
• The manager monitors staff well and identifies strengths and weaknesses during regular supervision meetings and yearly appraisals. She encourages the staff to develop their knowledge and skills through regular training. Staff report that they feel well supported. The manager is reflective and strives for continuous improvement.
• On the whole, staff support children's early communication skills well. For example, they model good language skills and encourage children to use words to express their needs. Staff appropriately challenge children who are able to use more-advanced vocabulary. However, on occasions, staff do not give sufficient time for children to answer questions before interjecting, and they do not always give all children a chance to participate in group activities.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress.
• Staff put targeted interventions in place to ensure they achieve well. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. Staff use key words in children's home languages, and introduce and encourage repetition of new vocabulary in English.
• Staff celebrate the diverse cultures of the pre-school community, helping children to understand the differences between people. For example, they learn about Jamaican culture during Black History Month, and share foods from around the world at the yearly teddy bears' picnic event, which parents are invited to attend. Staff speak of their colleagues as being incredibly respectful of all faiths represented at the setting.
• Children's physical development is supported through activities indoors and outdoors. They dance and perform large movements to music and balance on large blocks. They have regular access to climbing apparatus in their well-equipped outside space. Children participate in weekly football sessions and learn a variety of physical skills.
• Children develop their fine motor skills and creativity through exploring a range of textures. They make marks in shaving foam and paint, build with sand, and create mixtures in the mud kitchen.
• Staff work closely with parents to help children to settle in, according to the needs of each child. They find out about children's routines, interests and abilities before they start at the setting. Children are encouraged to attend stay- and-play sessions with their parents as part of the settling-in process.
• Children are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Independence is promoted across the pre-school. Children develop good personal hygiene habits, and are encouraged to wash their hands and wipe their noses. Older children are introduced to phonics and are able to identify letter sounds and hear initial sounds in words. Staff talk to children about their move to school, encouraging them to recognise their feelings and emotions. The manager builds effective relationships with children's future schools, helping the transition to be as smooth as possible.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• allow children more time to respond to questions during activities to encourage their thinking and develop their language skills even further
• enable more children opportunities to be involved in group activities, and keep them focused and enhance their learning experience.