Harold Wood Pre School Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and flourish at this welcoming setting. The caring staff have high expectations for children. They sensitively nurture each child's confidence and well-being right from the start. Children settle in quickly and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They become independent thinkers and to make positive choices about their behaviour and play. Children learn to recognise and manage their physical needs, for example when they need to wipe their nose or have a drink of water. This helps to prepare them for moving on to school.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. All children show kindness and respect towards others. Older children speak openly about their feelings and develop strong friendships. They know if they want company they can sit on the 'buddy bench'. Younger children make up simple role play games together. They agree that they are making 'mashed potatoes' as they mix together mud, water and pine cones. They notice when another child wants to join in and offer to share the resources.

Children are highly curious and keen to explore. Younger children concentrate intently as they work out how to open and close various locks and fastenings. Older children are intrigued to discover the different colours and shades they can produce by mixing paints. They proudly share their achievements with others.

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

• The manager, who also owns the setting, has created an ambitious curriculum to support all areas of children's learning. The education programmes are clearly sequenced to help children to build on what they already know and can do. Additional funding is used to enhance children's learning and ensure that they can access all areas of the curriculum.
• Staff monitor children's learning closely. They identify where children may need extra help and provide individualised plans to help close the gaps in their learning. All children, including children who speak English as an additional language and those who receive funding, make good progress.
• The manager ensures that staff receive regular coaching and training. Staff describe how her consistent support and encouragement give them confidence to take on new roles and responsibilities. This helps them to continuously improve their professional skills and knowledge.
• Staff skilfully support children's learning during play, daily routines and planned activities. For instance, children learn to measure time by looking at a visual timeline of the day's events or using sand timers to monitor turn taking.
• Staff provide very good support for children's language and communication skills. For example, they use simple sign language and pictures during activities and routines. This helps children who are developing their speech to express their needs and preferences. Staff share stories and books with children every day and introduce a wide and varied range of words. Older children demonstrate their excellent language skills as they confidently 'read' to adults, retelling familiar stories from memory.
• Children clearly love learning. They show high levels of curiosity and eagerly set themselves challenges. Older children keep trying as they learn how to connect construction toys. They comment that 'this is hard' but do not give up until they have mastered the skill. They continue to challenge themselves by creating increasingly complex models.
• Staff ensure that children play outdoors each day. Children learn to manage risks as they practise climbing and balancing. This vigorous exercise enhances their physical health and well-being. Staff provide healthy choices at snack times. This includes a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. However, staff do not give consistent messages to children about foods which are unhealthy and can damage their teeth.
• Staff get to know children and families well. They find out about special events in children's lives and these are celebrated in the nursery. For example, at Christmas, children present a nativity play to parents. However, staff do not always consider how to broaden children's understanding of people and communities outside of their own experiences.
• Parents speak very positively about the nursery and staff. They say their children love coming to the setting and talk affectionately about staff when they are at home. Parents state that they are well informed about their child's progress and what they need to learn next.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enable staff to better support children's understanding of people, families and communities outside of their own experiences
• ensure more consistency in the ways that staff enhance children's understanding of healthy eating and how to care for their teeth.