Friezland Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and engaged in their learning in this warm and safe environment. Interactions are strong and children are clearly comfortable with the staff and other children. They play harmoniously alongside each other. Staff model and extend vocabulary and communication throughout the day. They talk to children and ask questions, to encourage their thinking and deepen their learning. Staff role model and extend learning when needed, allowing children to take the lead in their own play. They teach children about features of the environment, such as growing fruit and vegetables. Children learn how frogs grow and change from frogspawn into tadpoles, then into fully grown frogs. Staff also teach children what frogs need to eat and where they live, which helps children to learn about life cycles.

Leaders and staff place a high emphasis on behaviour expectations. Children are encouraged to be independent and take responsibility for their own actions. The effective use of songs and music helps children to understand that it is tidy-up time. Effective rules and boundaries help children to know what is expected of them and how they are expected to treat each other. Staff consistently model good manners and respect, which enhances further children's good behaviour.

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

• Leaders provide a sequenced curriculum which caters for children's interests. Staff use their observations and assessments of children to identify any gaps in their learning. They use this information to plan suitable opportunities to help children make progress. However, occasionally, intentions for self-chosen learning are not as well planned and opportunities to extend children's play are limited. This does not consistently promote children's high levels of curiosity and critical thinking.
• Leaders place a strong emphasis on developing children's communication and language. Staff model the correct pronunciation of words and encourage children to learn new words during their play. Staff identify any gaps in children's communication and language development quickly and ensure that relevant support is put in place. This helps children to become fluent talkers.
• Leaders and staff help children to learn the routines of the setting. They encourage children to take responsibility for tidying up and clearing the tables after snack. Children learn to find their own name and to hang up their coats and bags. This helps children to develop their independence, in preparation for the next stage in their learning.
• Leaders and staff provide opportunities for children to run, jump, dance and climb. Children make obstacle courses, which they move along with increasing control and skill. Staff also offer children opportunities to explore and manipulate dough by encouraging them to roll, pinch and squeeze the dough. This helps children to develop the necessary physical skills which will help to prepare them for writing.
• Leaders work closely with many other agencies and professionals, including speech and language therapy services, local schools, and clinical psychologists. They take on board recommendations to support children's individual learning needs. This helps all children, regardless of their starting points, to make progress.
• Leaders communicate well with parents. They involve them in regular activities, such as the Easter Bonnet parade and the summer concert. Leaders share ideas with parents to extend their children's learning at home. For example, they provide children with seeds to plant at home and encourage parents to talk to their children about the growing process. This promotes a positive and coordinated approach that enhances children's learning.
• Staff access regular training based on their identified training needs and interests. Leaders have also started to use supervisions, appraisals and mentoring. However, this is not yet fully embedded in practice. As a result, some minor gaps in practice are not always identified. This does not help staff to develop their own practice to consistently support children's learning and progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus more precisely on the intent of freely chosen activities to promote children's curiosity and progress
• embed further supervision and appraisal arrangements to help staff develop their own practice to support children's progress and learning