Harlequins Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children form beneficial relationships with staff and enjoy being at the pre-school. They are eager to enter, and quickly select toys and play with their friends. New children are provided with lots of thoughtful, patient support to help them settle into the pre-school. Their confidence grows, and they join in with routines and start to independently explore. Children show respect for staff. They learn to share resources and begin to appreciate the needs of others. When children struggle to understand expectations, staff offer timely support to help children to adapt their actions and play safely and cooperatively.

Children make good progress in their development. The staff team works together to assess children's development. Staff form plans from their observations of children, recognising their achievements and working out what children need to learn next. Children enjoy periods of uninterrupted play, selecting toys, investigating resources independently and testing out their ideas. They explore sensory materials and develop their dexterity pouring sand and moulding play dough. Children discuss their ideas and plans, such as making a pretend cake. They knowledgeably discuss ingredients that they would use and decorations, such as icing and sprinkles.

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

• The manager and staff show dedication to the families that use their provision. They build a two-way sharing of information with parents to make sure that there is a consistent approach to the support children receive. The manager liaises closely with outside professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities get the help they need and can reach their potential.
• Children of all ages relish playing in the pre-school garden. They move in a range of ways, climbing, running, playing with balls and riding on trikes. Staff help them to manage risks and challenges appropriately. Children jump off the equipment, testing their skills. Staff offer children lots of encouragement and praise. This helps and reassures the younger children particularly, and they try again. They beam with pride when they jump and land like the older children.
• Staff speak clearly to children and rephrase new words to help children develop their language. Staff role model mathematics language and encourage children to count items. Older children readily answer questions and engage in conversations with staff. However, staff at times do not encourage less confident children's communication and develop their skills as much as possible.
• Staff focus on helping prepare children for their move on to school. They plan their routines well, giving children time to do things for themselves, and develop children's independence and sense of responsibility. Children tidy away the toys and resources. They work to get their coats on themselves to go outside. They clear away their things after snack, conscientiously putting their rubbish in the bin. Older children develop positive attitudes to learning. They recognise their written names and enjoy challenges such as attempting to write and copy the letters in their name.
• Staff offer children beneficial group-time sessions. Children listen well to stories. They show their knowledge as they talk about the weather and days of the week at circle time. However, staff do not fully think through the set up of some activities and pick up on all the children's interests. They do not adapt their support when other children also wish to join the activity to ensure all children's involvement and learning.
• Security procedures are robust, and staff keep the premises secure. They supervise children closely, offering them reminders on safe practices. Staff understand their responsibilities. They undertake safeguarding and first-aid training. They know what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care or the conduct of other staff.
• The manager leads a cohesive team and staff morale is high. They communicate daily, discussing their arrangements and support of the children. The manager shares new knowledge with them from training that she undertakes, to help lead improvements. She works with the provider to evaluate their practice. They have recognised that the procedures for staff development need enhancing. They have outlined new processes but have not implemented them, to help develop staff skills to higher levels.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• encourage children's communication, particularly for those children who are less confident or reluctant to speak
• adapt planned activities to support all children's involvement and learning as much as possible
• implement the planned improvements to the processes for developing staff skills, helping all staff interact and support children's learning to consistently high levels.