Georgie Porgy's Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff welcome children and their families warmly at this inclusive and safe pre-school, and children arrive happily. Staff use the information they gather when children first start to ensure that children settle well. Staff observe children as they play to determine their interests and next steps in learning. They use this information to plan exciting and interesting activities that support children to make good progress in their learning. This includes using effective strategies to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress.

Staff plan fun activities to help to stimulate children's love of literacy. Children have opportunities to cut up real fruit and vegetables they choose from the story 'Handa's Surprise'. Staff extend children's understanding of the world and their vocabulary. They teach children new words, such as 'avocado' and 'passion fruit'. Staff challenge children's thinking by asking open questions to encourage them to recall what happens next in the story. They support children's communication and language skills well. Staff readily use new words to build on children's increasing vocabulary.

Children develop their early writing skills well. They are encouraged to make marks, using a range of materials indoors and outdoors. For example, children use their fingers to create meaningful letters in the sand. Staff have high expectations for all children, and children's behaviour is good. Staff are proactive at making children aware of the rules in the nursery. They set clear boundaries to help children to learn right from wrong.

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

• Key persons understand their role and responsibility to monitor and assess children's learning effectively. They keep parents well informed about their children's learning and what children need to learn next. Children have strong bonds with their key person.
• The manager and the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) have developed good links with the local authority's SENCo and inclusion officers. They are swift to access targeted support and funding to enable them to help children and parents in and out of the setting. This helps all children to make good progress.
• Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, they learn to manoeuvre their bodies in various ways as they take part in sports and yoga activities. Children access the attractive outdoor area daily to take part in a variety of activities. They have tremendous fun as they access wheeled vehicles. They skilfully use their feet to propel themselves forward.
• Staff have high expectations for the children. They are positive role models and are enthusiastic and kind. As a result, children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Children feel safe and secure and explore the environment confidently. They play with their friends and happily share resources. For instance, children play cooperatively as they build a construction model of a very tall 'umbrella'. Older children quickly run to help their friends, from fear of any blocks falling and ruining the model.
• Although staff promote children's speech and language very well, they do not provide consistent opportunities for children who are bilingual and speak English as an additional language to see, hear and use their home languages in the pre-school.
• Overall, children show effective levels of independence in their play, for example as they self-select activities and resources that interest them. They persevere to manage tasks, such as serving themselves at snack time and pouring their own drinks. Children grow in confidence in their abilities and develop positive levels of self-esteem. However, staff do not consistently encourage younger children to take responsibility for the toys they play with. For example, toddlers are not always encouraged to tidy up after themselves.
• Parents are extremely happy with the service provided. They speak highly of the care and education their children receive. Parents comment that staff provide 'a family feel' and get to know their children and families. Parents appreciate the observations and photos on their children's learning profiles. These strong partnerships support parents to be active and involved in their children's learning.
• The passionate manager implements effective systems for self-evaluation. This helps her to assess and review how various groups of children are progressing in the nursery. Staff express a high level of satisfaction in their roles. They say that they get opportunities to discuss their well-being and professional practice with the manager regularly. This raises the quality of education to an even higher level.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help younger children to take responsibility for their toys and the environment, such as by encouraging them to tidy up when they finish playing
• provide opportunities for children to see, hear and use their home languages in the pre-school to enhance their communication even further.