Grove Road Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly arrive and flourish in this nurturing environment. They enthusiastically put away their belongings and staff help them to settle into activities quickly. Children explore the exciting learning environment with curiosity, enjoying every moment in their day. Staff are highly attentive and nurture children's language development exceptionally well. For example, they read stories to children and engage their deep interests using different tones and pitches. Staff extend children's learning using props to develop high-quality conversations and interactions.

There is an ambitious curriculum in place which is well sequenced and considers children's development. Staff encourage children to make independent choices and engage in experiences of their interest. For example, children build sandcastles using spades, diggers and buckets to test their ideas. Staff extend their learning using open-ended questions. They further children's abilities by encouraging them to be independent and follow through with small tasks, such as transporting materials outdoors.

Children learn about the world around them. They enjoy plenty of exercise and fresh air. Children build friendships in their play and demonstrate exemplary behaviour. Staff role model how to be respectful and kind. Children know the difference between what is right and wrong. They understand staff's expectations in the pre-school.

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

• Leaders design a curriculum that builds precisely on what children can do and how to move them on in their learning effectively. Staff have extensive knowledge and identify when children might be at risk of falling behind in their learning. They take swift action to close gaps in children's development. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to make excellent progress. For example, they work with external professionals to ensure that children have targeted strategies in place to receive the support they need.
• Leaders are passionate and inspirational. They demonstrate deep dedication in their roles. Staff receive regular support through routine supervision sessions to continually improve their practice. They ensure that children have a secure key-person system in place to provide the best possible experiences and opportunities. Staff feel motivated in their roles and report high morale. This leads to high-quality interactions and better outcomes for children.
• Children explore the outdoors freely. They access a woodland area and learn about the world around them. Children play on a tyre swing and collect leaves and conkers. Staff teach children how to keep safe outdoors and role model key phrases, such as 'base camp.' This helps children to know where they can gather, demonstrating an understanding of common areas.
• Children learn how to recycle their food. Staff teach children how to become sustainable and dispose of food correctly, to protect the environment. Children demonstrate how to tidy up from mealtimes and become more environmentally friendly. This helps children to develop a deep understanding of supporting the world around them.
• Children develop a strong sense of independence. Staff encourage children to be responsible for their own self-care. Children know when to wash their hands and how to wipe their noses. During mealtimes, children securely feed themselves and pour their own drinks. Staff engage with purposeful discussions and guide children in their practice to ensure the best possible outcomes.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are exceptionally strong. Parents report that they are kept well informed about their children's progress. They share that staff are attentive from the settling-in process to ensure that children's individual needs are met. Parents report that they receive regular communication and key persons share information about their children's progress regularly.
• Children learn how to make their own play dough. Staff introduce mathematical concepts to weigh ingredients so children can measure what they need. Children use tools to manipulate textures and create the correct consistency from instructions directed by staff. From this, children benefit from focused and targeted learning opportunities, to enable them to make excellent progress.