Frittenden Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily leave their parents and rush in to this pre-school. They settle incredibly quickly and chat to staff, who welcome them with kindness and love. Children confidently find their photo, decide how they are feeling and match their photo to an emotion face that corresponds to their own. The attentive staff ensure they take note of this so they can support the most vulnerable children on the day. Children concentrate deeply while they make predictions about their daily investigations. For instance, they make predictions and test the strength of materials to hold the weight of the 'Three Billy Goats Gruff' when they cross a bridge that the children have constructed. Children rapidly develop their thinking skills, and they become exceptionally capable problem solvers.

Younger children delight as they explore sensory materials, such as rice and oats. Staff extend their language superbly, using vocabulary such as 'calm', 'full' and 'overflowing'. Children who decide to stay inside are highly motivated to explore challenging activities, choose from the extensive role-play and craft areas or independently choose a resource. Outside, children's physical skills develop when they confidently climb a huge slide. They relish blowing into a giant hoop to make bubbles, guessing the size it will be and how long it will last.

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

• Staff have a highly individual approach to settling children. They work extremely closely with parents from the very beginning to based on from children's starting points. They are exceptionally proactive in evaluating the provision. For example, since the COVID-19 pandemic, they have noticed that children particularly need support in sensory play, socialisation and language improvement. In response to this, all staff have been highly successful in extending their skills in supporting language development. This supports children to make rapid gains and catch up extremely quickly.
• Children's experiences fully and consistently build knowledge and skills for the next stage of their education. When younger children are completely engrossed in the sensory resources, staff skilfully talk about what they are doing, giving them new language to absorb. Older children have plenty of opportunities to mark make and do their own writing. They have notebooks and clipboards, which they enthusiastically use to write lists, such as a menu of Chinese food from the takeaway.
• The pre-school is outstanding at forging links with other settings that children attend. They ensure that they plan together and involve the parents, which means that children have full support. They benefit from swift referrals to experts. Staff work tirelessly to ensure that children and parents get all the help and care available to them. This means that children are in the best possible position to reach their full potential and make rapid progress.
• Staff ensure that children are prominent contributors to the local community. They are active in their support of exciting ventures. For example, children go on weekly trips to a local care facility to sing traditional rhymes to the residents. Children begin to build tolerance towards others, as well as building their confidence and social skills.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities with great speed to ensure they have opportunities to reach their full potential. This means that children receive specialist support and intervention as quickly as possible.
• Staff encourage children to be independent at every opportunity. Children tidy away before they choose to get out a different resource. They do this without a fuss and get on with their learning. They choose from healthy snacks and serve themselves food using tongs. They develop an excellent understanding of good hygiene and develop their hand-to-eye coordination.
• Children's behaviour and attitudes are impeccable, and they are exceptionally kind. They share, collaborate and take turns when they experiment with different items. For instance, they choose which items fit best when they jointly fill containers. Staff are very attentive and commentate on what the children are doing. They praise and challenge children as they explore the concept of capacity.
• Parents are exceptionally happy with the setting. They report that their children are extremely happy and that there are strong links between the pre-school and home. They praise the staff for their admirable work in supporting the local community. There are regular events that include fundraising with the local church and school. Children's progress is an ongoing discussion, and communication is exemplary. Parents rely on the staff for their expert support and advice.