Hamilton Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children love coming to this exceptionally welcoming pre-school. They share very close relationships with the caring staff. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to progress very well, especially in their personal, social and emotional development. Children excitedly engage in meaningful activities from the start, spending time with their key person at the beginning of the day in a small, cosy space. They welcome each other warmly and talk about how they are feeling. This special time helps children to develop a strong sense of identity and self-worth.

Leaders and staff provide a broad and ambitious curriculum for both the inside and outside learning environments. For example, children experiment walking barefoot across tiles of different textures. Staff encourage children to try and explain what they can feel and help them with new words to describe the sensations, such as 'sticky', 'lumpy' and 'prickly'. Children have many opportunities outside to develop their imaginations and ideas. For example, they create a pathway with large blocks and planks across a sea of 'lava' in their 'dinosaur land' and delight in assisting members of staff across the 'danger' safely.

Staff are excellent role models, speaking to children with the utmost respect and courtesy. Children respond to these high expectations and their behaviour is exemplary.

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

• Leaders and staff create a highly stimulating environment which enables children to flourish through real life experiences which build on what they already know and excite their imaginations. For example, in the mud kitchen, children improve their skills by cutting up potatoes with real knives to make 'chips'. They carefully peel Brussels sprouts and then make a mug of 'coconut milk' with the peelings. Staff extend children's learning by putting up menus and prices so that children can practise early literacy and numeracy skills in their 'fish and chip' and 'ice-cream' shops, for example by writing out receipts.
• Staff take children on walks in their local community. They go to the shops to buy fruit or to the wooded area for forest-school activities. Staff use these opportunities to teach children about road safety and how to identify risks when in the woods, for example how to behave if a dog is off the lead. Children learn how to keep themselves safe.
• Staff encourage children to share and be kind to one another. For example, children patiently take turns to kick a ball towards a goal. They smile broadly when they succeed and are equally pleased at each other's efforts, encouraging them to keep on trying.
• Children are exceptionally well prepared for the next part of their learning journey. For example, children who are going to school meet their new teachers and visit the school. They have photos of the new school and can try on the uniform. Staff support children with their independence skills and behavioural expectations, such as putting their hands up before answering and following more complex instructions.
• Parents are extremely satisfied with the provision and have complete trust in the staff to keep their children safe and happy. They speak of nurturing staff who communicate very well and support the whole family. They are delighted that the children have opportunities for activities such as exploring what happens to food when it decays. They appreciate that children learn about recycling and reducing waste.
• Leaders and managers are highly organised and support each other exceptionally well as a team. There is a strong focus on staff development, which is achieved through regular discussion, peer observations, supervision and training. Recent training on making healthy food 'fun' has prompted staff to introduce naturally flavoured water. This has encouraged children to drink more. The team continues to think of improvements, for example growing fruit and vegetables so that children can learn more about healthy diets.