Gumboots And Roots Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy being at pre-school. They enjoy playing and learning with their friends. Most children arrive happily. They greet staff with big smiles and settle to their play. Children new to the setting receive very effective support to help them feel safe and welcome. They are reassured by the presence of staff who know them well. Children respond to the kind words and gentle encouragement of these staff and grow in confidence to explore and play.

Children behave well. They understand the routines of pre-school and cooperate with them. This helps ensure smooth transitions during the pre-school day. For example, children help tidy up and find their coats, ready to go outside.

Children take part in a range of well-considered activities and experiences which staff use effectively to help children focus on developing the skills and knowledge that will be of most benefit. For example, there is a strong curriculum focus on children's personal, emotional and language development. This is to help fill gaps in some children's experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children respond by developing well into confident communicators. They enjoy talking to each other and staff. Children develop a suitably broad vocabulary, which they use well to express their thoughts and ideas.

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

• Staff provide a stimulating learning environment. Children know where to find resources and find them interesting. This encourages children to play purposefully and to practise developing skills. For example, children develop their physical skills as they explore dough and build towers.
• The manager supports staff to sequence the curriculum well. This helps children remember what they have been taught. For example, staff plan a programme of core stories that they read regularly. Children learn key words and phrases in these stories and can confidently talk to visitors about what happens.
• Staff plan times when children come together as a group to take part in learning experiences. Overall, they use these times effectively to deliver useful teaching, for example, to read stories and sing songs. However, they do not always ensure all children are focused before beginning these activities, to enable all children to make the most of the learning opportunities.
• Staff build a rounded picture of children's progress. However, they do not always plan time to check what children have learned and remembered at the end of activities, to add further to their understanding of each child's progress.
• Staff quickly identify children who may need extra help to fulfil their full potential. They work effectively with other professionals to support these children's learning.
• Children gain a wide range of physical skills. Outside, they learn to use wheeled toys and to move in different ways. Inside, they learn to use scissors and manipulate dough.
• Staff know children very well. They skilfully and thoughtfully adapt their teaching when supporting children as they play. Staff know which children benefit from close attention and which children need space to learn independently. This personalised approach to teaching helps all children make good progress and feel very valued and welcome.
• There is a purposeful atmosphere in the pre-school. Children show that they want to learn. They carefully make choices about what they want to do, and show good levels of concentration and engagement.
• Staff place a high value on building strong partnerships with parents. They regularly update parents on children's progress so that learning can be continued at home.
• The provider supports her staff team well. She has put in place an effective programme of support for less experienced members of the team. For example, there is a 'buddy' system where experienced staff members act as mentors for less experienced colleagues. This has a positive impact on staff practice and children's experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• introduce group activities clearly to children to help them focus and join in from the start
• sharpen how learning from some activities is identified and assessed.