Hampton Magna Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

At this pre-school, children arrive enthusiastic and eager to learn, right from the beginning of their day. They are self-motivated and take pride in their accomplishments, often focusing on their chosen activities. This can be attributed to the kind and affectionate demeanour of staff, who provide meaningful recognition for children's efforts. Staff's warm and supportive approach creates a nurturing environment that fosters positive behaviour among children.

Children enjoy playing in an outdoor space. Staff ensure that this space is well planned to promote learning across all areas of the early years foundation stage. Children engage in various activities that help them develop good handling skills, such as scooping sand and using pipettes to fill buckets. They relax in a wooden teepee while reading books, and practise using their large muscles to ride tricycles and push bikes. Children engage in mark-making activities and enjoy hunting for minibeasts.

Leaders are committed to providing an ambitious curriculum for all children. Staff carefully plan and organise challenging activities based on children's interests and their developmental stages. The environment is thoughtfully designed to maximise and sequence children's learning. Consequently, children make good progress, and their behaviour in the pre-school is commendable.

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

• Leadership in the pre-school is effective. Leaders work hard to provide the best experiences for all children and prepare them well for their next stage of education. They focus on enhancing staff's knowledge in different areas, and their understanding of how children learn. Leaders monitor staff effectively to maintain the quality of education and ensure that the curriculum is implemented as intended. However, in some areas, fostering children's independence is yet to be fully implemented. For example, staff put on coats for children when they go outside, instead of encouraging them to do it independently. This does not consistently support children's developing independence.
• Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They engage children in genuine conversations and introduce new words that extend children's knowledge. Staff ask open-ended questions that can encourage children to think and reflect. However, at times, staff do not provide enough time for children to answer their questions before they immediately offer answers themselves. For example, staff do not allow children enough time to think and respond when they ask how many butterflies they saw. This does not help children to develop their critical thinking skills and lead their learning.
• Staff have devised a creative solution to ensure children's transitions during routine activities are safe and well organised and teach children healthy habits. For example, staff sing a personalised song for each child to call them to wash their hands before snack time. This helps to ensure that children wash their hands safely and learn positive care practices that have an impact on their confidence, physical health and emotional well-being.
• Leaders act with integrity and prioritise providing early education opportunities for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They proactively identify and remove barriers that may prevent children with SEND from accessing early education, for example by making prompt referrals to specialised institutions. Additionally, leaders ensure that staff have access to additional training and utilise additional funding to cater for the individual needs of children with SEND. As a result, all children make a good progress in their education.
• The partnership between parents and the pre-school is effective. Prior to children's starting date, staff arrange brief meetings with parents to discuss any specific requirements and routines. Parents can view and comment on the observations and photos regularly shared by staff. They appreciate the nurturing relationships staff build with their children, which results in smooth transitions. Parents feel well-informed about their children's progress. They value the sense of community and the events on offer to promote their involvement in pre-school life.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to support children to develop and practise their independence
• provide children with more time to process questions and solve problems for themselves.