Happy Stars T.M Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this nurturing, inclusive and stimulating pre-school. Leaders have implemented a purposeful and ambitious curriculum underpinned by four clear pillars. These guide a broad and balanced educational experience. Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of child development. Teaching ensures that every child is equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for lifelong success. Children form strong, secure attachments with adults, including the setting's leaders. Children demonstrate positive friendships. They express who their best friends are and choose to sit together at lunch.

From the moment they arrive, children are encouraged to be independent, resilient and curious. Self-registration routines and voting for snack choices promote autonomy and embed British values. Children confidently move around the well-organised, free-flow environment. They make choices that reflect their interests and developmental needs.

Children behave well. They follow routines confidently. Staff use playful and respectful strategies to manage transitions, such as lining up like soldiers when it is time to go inside. This makes routines enjoyable and familiar. Staff support children's confidence in knowing what is expected of them. Children are encouraged to learn the pre-school rules, count with confidence and name the days of the week. These foundational skills are well integrated into daily practice and help prepare children for the next stage of their education.

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

• Staff skilfully extend children's thinking and language through high-quality interactions and communication. For example, at the sand tray, children work collaboratively to build sandcastles and share ideas about making a swimming pool. Skilled staff listen attentively and ask open-ended questions to extend thinking. Group times are joyful, inclusive and responsive to children's interests. Children sing familiar songs with enthusiasm. They are encouraged to make choices, contributing to a strong sense of belonging.
• Children with complex medical needs and emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities receive exceptional care and tailored support. Staff adapt the environment and resources. For instance, they provide benches, standing frames and specialist seating to ensure all children can access and enjoy the full curriculum. These adaptations allow children to participate meaningfully. They foster physical development, engagement and independence.
• Children explore mathematical and literacy concepts through real-life experiences. They count buses and identify road signs during walks. This enriches their understanding and supports knowledge retention. Staff model rich vocabulary, including mathematical language such as 'a little' and 'a lot'.
• Children are supported effectively to stay safe and healthy in warm weather. They wear hats and play in shaded areas. Staff are highly vigilant in regularly monitoring the temperature and assessing its impact on children's well-being. Children drink water regularly to stay hydrated.
• The environment is highly engaging and reflects children's interests. Children are visibly excited as they take part in a bubble activity. They show resilience and perseverance when their initial attempts are unsuccessful. Staff offer praise and encouragement, fostering a growth mindset. During painting activities, children demonstrate curiosity about colour mixing and literacy as they explore sounds and letters in their names. They engage in mark making using a variety of tools and select their own resources. They show early understanding of writing for a purpose.
• Children show high levels of independence and sustained engagement across activities. Children creatively use pegs to display drawings. This demonstrates pride in their work. Staff praise children often, which helps to motivate them and develop positive attitudes to their learning.
• Leaders have implemented new systems for tracking and monitoring children's progress. Checks each term and end-of-year reports ensure that staff can quickly identify children who may need additional support. Leaders regularly analyse data to identify emerging trends, and they act swiftly to address any gaps in progress.
• Parental feedback reflects a highly positive view of the setting. Comments consistently highlight strong relationships, effective communication and a welcoming, family-focused environment. Parents feel their children are happy, safe and making strong progress in their development.
• New leadership has brought about a positive transformation in the pre-school. Generally, there is an emphasis on staff development, reflective practice and building positive relationships with families. However, opportunities for temporary staff to engage in professional development are not always used. This means that not all staff access the same high-level professional development to continually drive improvements in the quality of teaching.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the opportunities for temporary staff to access professional development in order to continually improve the already good quality of teaching.