Great Holm Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children follow a curriculum that helps them to become independent in their personal skills and confident communicators. Staff have high ambition for all children and continually review and adapt the curriculum to meet their needs. Children move around the pre-school with a strong sense of purpose and enthusiasm for their learning, displaying good levels of concentration. Children enjoy playing outdoors. Staff are developing the garden area with new initiatives, and this is highly beneficial for children's learning. It promotes both their physical development and emotional well-being, especially for children who need to expel high energy levels. Staff extend and expand on children's interests. When children enjoy the story of 'The Three Little Pigs', staff bring the story alive for them. Children use puppets to act out the story and building homes using wood, straw and bricks. Children repeat and re-tell their favourite parts of the familiar story showing their good ability to recall their previous learning and make connections with new ideas.

All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress at the pre-school. Children behave well as staff give them clear and consistent guidance and support. Children form secure attachments with the staff who care for them and form close relationships with each other.

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

• The manager effectively communicates the intent of the curriculum to staff. As a result, staff are confident in providing children with learning that promotes their good development. The organisation of activities, including smaller group times in a quieter room, enable staff to focus upon supporting children's speech and language skills well.
• Staff use group story times and rhymes to build on children's early talking skills. Staff recognise when some children need extra support with their interactions with others. They ensure that their interactions with children focus on eye contact, repetition and building confidence in conversations.
• Children with SEND have particularly good experiences at the pre-school. This is because the curriculum is flexible, and staff know how to support their individual learning. They work closely with other professionals, families and the local authority, supporting children's all-round development.
• The manager is continually developing the curriculum and finding further ways to engage children. However, currently there is little focus on supporting children to engage with technology and learn about how to use this safely.
• Staff are extremely alert to children who need extra help in managing their strong feelings and support them to talk about how they feel. Staff encourage children to find their own resolution to minor disagreements as a result, they start to learn how to deal with conflict.
• Many children have high energy levels and like to play in extremely physical ways. Staff manage this to keep children safe. However, they do not always find an outlet and manner for children to have opportunities to continue to explore these strong physical impulses in a suitable way.
• The high-quality interactions between staff and families help to bring children's homes lives into the pre-school in meaningful and authentic ways. This embeds children's awareness and understanding about the differences and similarities between themselves and their friends. Children's diverse backgrounds and experiences are valued and celebrated at the pre-school.
• Key persons know the children they care for extremely well. Children lean in and cuddle up with staff when they want comfort and reassurance. These highly effective relationships contribute towards children's sense of safety and security at the pre-school.
• The pre-school plays a vital role in the local community. This is strengthened by children enjoying trips within the local area, such as to visit residents of the care home. Parents and carers can be highly involved in their children's care and education by joining the committee which leads the pre-school. Consequently, parents and families have high involvement in running the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• expand the curriculum to introduce children to more technology in their play, developing their confidence in keeping safe when using devices
• introduce effective ways for children to explore their lively, boisterous play in ways that are safe and suitable.