Great Bentley Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very happy at this setting. They arrive smiling and eager to embark in a day filled with exciting activities. Leaders and staff carefully consider children's needs, interests and abilities when creating a stimulating and dynamic environment. Tailored settling-in sessions for children, mean that staff get to know them well right from the start, which helps children adapt seamlessly. Staff encourage children to make their own choices of what they would like to explore next. For example, at snack time, staff prompt children to choose their favourite food. They also help children to pour their own drinks and serve their own food to support their hand-eye coordination and independence. Staff often praise children for their efforts and they quickly feel appreciated during their time at this setting. This helps develop children's emotional resilience and self-esteem.

Staff are nurturing and kind. They are intuitive to children's needs and are readily available to offer them guidance, support and reassurance. Staff have high expectations of children and gently prompt them to follow the setting's routines and boundaries. For example, before going in the garden, children enthusiastically help with tidy up duties. They proudly wear a 'little helper' badge, smiling as they carry out these responsibilities. This helps children become positive and independent learners.

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

• Leaders are knowledgeable and experienced. They offer an inclusive practice. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are thoroughly assisted in their learning journey. Meaningful partnerships with parents and other professionals mean that children who require additional help make good progress in their learning. Leaders also support children who speak English as an additional language, to help them acquire the language skills needed to effectively communicate and embark in learning opportunities.
• Leaders create a robust curriculum that helps children to develop their independence, communication and self-help skills in readiness for their next stage of education. However, some staff do not consistently implement this into practice. For example, they have not fully considered how to use the lunchtime experience to build on children's social and language skills even further.
• Staff have good knowledge and understanding of children's learning and development. They complete regular assessments to track children's progress and next steps in their learning, which they share with the parents. However, occasionally, staff do not consistently reflect on or adapt their practice and interactions to effectively promote children's thinking skills and deepen their learning.
• Staff create great opportunities for children to enhance their sensory experiences, refine their dexterity and fine motor skills. Children are fascinated to learn how to mix various ingredients to make play dough. They listen intently to staff's instructions on how to measure and pour flour and water to develop their mathematical skills. Children then use various utensils to stir and mix the ingredients, while closely observing the new texture. Skillful staff introduce new words, such as 'oil' and cinnamon', and clearly explain their meaning to ensure children securely embed the new vocabulary. This also helps children further develop their thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Children enjoy staying active to embrace a healthy lifestyle. In the garden, they operate large bikes with confidence to improve their balance and coordination. Staff use sand timers to support children in taking turns with resources and equipment, fostering cooperation and enhancing their social interaction skills. Children also enjoy exploring the sand pit with staff and peers. They use spades and buckets to create sandcastles, showing high levels of fascination and determination. This positively contributes to developing children's imaginative skills.
• Leaders are thoughtful and reflective. They create a supportive and positive culture for all staff who report are very happy to work at this setting. Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to providing children with the best possible start to their early education and work diligently to implement effective strategies that continually enhance staff practice.
• Partnerships with parents are positive. They praise the warm support their children receive from all staff and leaders. Parents feel involved in their children's learning and find the communication to be effective. Parents value staff's immense contribution to their children's progress in their learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• embed further the curriculum intent so that all staff understand how to continually implement it across the provision to fully prepare children for their next stage in education
• continue to build and strengthen all staff's skills to enable them to consistently tailor their interactions to extend and deepen children's learning even further.