Hartwell Nursery & Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff greet children and parents/carers warmly as they arrive. They recognise some children need more support to separate from their parents, and invite into the pre-school for a short time. Staff help children to settle by reading them a story. Children's emotional well-being is well supported.

Staff provide vast opportunities for children to be outside in the fresh air and develop their physical skills. Children excitedly tell visitors to the pre-school that they are going on a minibus to visit the local forest with friends from a neighbouring pre-school. They share that they will spend the whole day outdoors and have their lunch sitting under the trees. At pre-school, children learn to negotiate space and race on tracks on pedal bicycles and cross the wobbly bridge on the climbing frame. Staff supervise children very well as they take managed risks, stepping in if children need guidance or support.

Staff support children to share and take turns with each other. Children confidently tell their friends, 'It is your turn now' when they are going on the slide. They wait at the bottom for their friend and hold out their hand to help them up when they reach the bottom of the slide. Staff praise the children as they find their friend's water bottle and take it to them.

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

• The manager has worked tirelessly since the last inspection to make significant improvements. She has actively sought support from the local authority, and has ensured all committee members, including the nominated individual, are known to Ofsted. Suitability checks have been completed and all members of the committee now understand their role fully. As well as this, the experienced manager has developed an exciting and ambitious curriculum. Training has been provided to all staff, and ongoing coaching and support takes place to develop staff's practice.
• Overall, staff interactions with children are of a high quality. They ask children well-considered questions to gain information about their prior knowledge and understanding. Many children at the pre-school are confident communicators, keen to share their home experiences with staff. Occasionally, staff do not support children to use the correct pronunciation of words when speaking. For example, staff say 'ta' to children instead of 'thank you', or 'nana' for 'banana'.
• Staff sensitively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They find out all about children's individual needs and support them in the best possible way. Staff maintain regular communication with parents and external agencies to ensure consistent support is provided for children. Children with SEND make good progress from their starting points.
• Parents speak positively about the staff caring for their children. They comment on how much the pre-school celebrates every child as an individual and find out all about the different cultures and beliefs children and families may have. Parents say the staff are kind and nurturing, and their children love attending. They say their children have such a good time at pre-school they ask to stay for longer when they come and collect them.
• The manager has worked with staff to improve the opportunities for children to develop their mathematical skills. Staff now understand the importance of early mathematics and incorporate this into many activities taking place. However, staff do not help children to identify more complex shapes.
• Staff encourage children to be independent throughout the day. Children learn to unzip their coats and hang them up. At snack time, staff teach children to spread their toast with butter, and persevere as they attempt to cut their toast into quarters. Children pour milk or water into their cups confidently. They tell visitors to the pre-school how they wash up their plates when they have finished. Children explain how they have bins for recycling, and that paper goes into one bin as it can be made into more paper to use.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide consistent support for children to develop their communication and language by always using the correct pronunciation of words
• improve staff understanding of how to support children's mathematical knowledge of more complex shapes.