Gotham Pre-School Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted by welcoming staff who know them well. This helps children to settle quickly and confidently and say 'goodbye' to their parents and carers. Children explore a range of well-planned activities that are tailored to their interests and development needs. For instance, they learn about empathy and compassion as they join in a hospital role-play activity. Staff encourage children's learning as they demonstrate how to use stethoscopes, explaining how doctors and nurses look after people. Children demonstrate previous learning as they pretend to use tongue sticks and gently look in each other's mouths.

Children learn to behave well and develop a strong sense of responsibility. The staff have high expectations for behaviour and encourage respectful listening. Children respond to their gentle guidance as they help to tidy away toys, participate in activities and remind each other of the pre-school rules. Children develop positive relationships as staff support them by encouraging them to take turns and share resources during activities. This reinforcement creates a positive and supportive atmosphere in which children flourish.

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

• Leaders and staff ensure strong partnerships with parents and carers. Staff maintain good communications, such as adding new information to the outdoor noticeboard and sending out regular newsletters to encourage home-based learning. Leaders maintain an open dialogue with staff and parents to ensure that all children's needs are met.
• Staff plan a range of activities to enhance children's understanding of the people who help us. As part of a theme focused on different occupations, children learn about the role of builders. They learn about the construction process, including how builders create cement. To further their understanding, the staff encourage the children to engage in hands-on exploration, mixing sand with shaving foam to create their own 'cement'. Children discuss the texture of the resulting mixture, making connections between their experiment and the real-world work of builders.
• Staff are committed to inclusivity and support for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They recognise each child's unique strengths and help children reach their full potential. In close collaboration with parents, they set meaningful and achievable goals, for example, encouraging children to participate in social activities, such as lunchtime or peer interactions. Staff celebrate children's milestones and the challenges children overcome, and they praise their accomplishments.
• Leaders have an ambitious vision to develop the curriculum beyond the pre-school. As a result, they plan experiences, for example farm visits and community outreach initiatives, such as leaflet distribution for the village bonfire event. These opportunities broaden children's horizons and foster children's understanding of their local community.
• The staff encourages children to be independent. Children learn to follow daily routines and manage self-care tasks. Staff teach children the importance of hygiene routines as children wash their hands before eating and after using the bathroom. Children confidently collect their outdoor clothing and attempt to put it on before going outside to play.
• Overall, staff plan a wide range of age-appropriate indoor and outdoor learning experiences for children. Children are encouraged to move between the spaces and select activities. While the overall experience is positive, the staff do not carefully consider what additional guidance and support some children need to help them settle and become immersed in an activity. Consequently, some children do not receive the support they need to help them develop their concentration skills.
• Leaders foster a culture of professional development by providing regular opportunities for staff to reflect on their performance and set ambitious goals to enhance their knowledge and skills. Staff appreciate these growth opportunities, feeling supported and empowered in their roles.
• Staff support parents by providing regular updates on their child's progress, formally through written information and informally through conversations and observations. As a result, a strong partnership with parents has been established, and parents report feeling well supported.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen support for children to help them settle at activities and develop strong concentration skills.