Halling Community Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at pre-school very happy and ready to start their day. They instantly engage in play. Staff support children well through personalised settling-in sessions. As a result, children build secure relationships with staff. Children show that they feel comfortable and continue to have high levels of well-being.

Staff carefully consider how they plan an environment for children that sparks their curiosity and engagement in play and learning. Staff consider children's individual backgrounds to plan a curriculum to help all children learn about topics that they may not have experienced before. For example, staff teach children about the 'Red Arrows' and show them the colours made by aeroplane's smoke. Children enjoy mark making with their own aeroplane with felt tip pens attached.

Staff create a positive and calm atmosphere. They support children's behaviour well and give gentle reminders, where needed. Children build friendships and interact well with each other throughout the day. For example, children begin discussions with their friends about what they have found in the digging patch. They go on to talk about the bug and what they should do with it. Staff implement a consistent routine, which all children understand. For instance, children know how to line up and walk nicely when moving between the garden and the hall.

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

• Leaders have an ambitious vision for the setting. Staff share that they have a supportive team environment and receive good guidance and training. For example, staff hold regular discussions about their observations of children to ensure that children remain engaged and happy in their learning. Consequently, children gain skills to help them for their transition on to school.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive very good support. Staff swiftly identify where children need additional support and work with parents to involve external agencies, where needed, to implement agreed strategies. As a result, children with SEND make good progress from their individual starting points.
• Parents share supportive and highly positive feedback about staff. They praise the support that their children receive and the wealth of learning opportunities available. Parents comment on the benefits of regular outside play and the good progress their children make.
• Mathematical language is woven into all aspects of the day. For example, staff role model counting at key times and help children to measure how long it takes a feather to fall to the ground by counting. Children demonstrate their skills well and place the stones they discover in the garden, in size order.
• Overall, staff successfully motivate children to be active, independent learners.
• They enjoy challenging themselves physically and testing out ideas. For example, children follow each other rolling large tyres, skilfully negotiating through a small tunnel made by tree branches. However, at times, the support children receive to help further their problem-solving skills is not fully developed throughout the staff team.
• Staff provide good support for children's communication and language development. They engage children in interesting discussions and include information to extend their knowledge. For example, staff explain about the different types of scones that children have and how they are traditionally eaten with clotted cream. Children enjoy trying the new food at snack time.
• Overall, the curriculum is implemented effectively to ensure that all children receive support in all areas of development. However, at times, there are some aspects of the teaching that are not as consistently implemented as thoroughly to ensure that children fully benefit.
• Staff help children to develop skills to help them be ready to start school. For example, staff work well with the local school that many children move on to attend. They take children on visits to use the school grounds for familiarity. They help children to use facilities that may be different to the pre-school, such as the toilets. This helps children to be confident and reassured.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the support for children to further their problem-solving skills
• monitor the implementation of the curriculum more effectively to identify and address minor inconsistencies within the staff team.