Hatfield Heath Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the pre-school and are happily greeted by the friendly staff team. They hang their coats and bags on their pegs independently. Children proudly speak about the sticker charts that they have at home when staff ask them. Children enjoy the nutritious meals that staff provide for them. They receive positive support and praise from staff when they try new foods.

Children behave well and negotiate with others successfully. For instance, they discuss with one another how to take turns with the same toy. They kindly pass the toy to their friend when they have finished. Children are helpful. They work together to tidy toys away.

Children learn about numbers and counting. They all count the slices of apple together at the snack table. Older children confidently share their knowledge of mathematical concepts. They recognise how many slices of apple make up a half and a quarter.

Children enjoy listening to stories, which staff tailor to their age and stage of development. For instance, younger children work in a small group looking at story sacks. Older children sit together and look at a large book with staff. They share their ideas, for example when they make predictions about what will happen next in the story.

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

• The established team of staff work well together and feel supported in their roles. They attend training courses. These focus on the children's learning and developmental needs. Much of this training takes place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as courses to support children's personal and emotional development. Staff use this training to reflect on the provision they offer. For instance, they adapt the layout of the indoor learning environment. This enables staff to become more deeply involved in children's learning.
• Staff plan activities based on children's interests. They respond promptly to children's experiences, such as when they visit the farm with their families. Children make choices about which activities they complete. For example, children choose to draw pictures of farm equipment after looking at books about farms and animals. This helps them to remain focused and motivated as they lead their own learning.
• Managers and staff meet regularly to reflect on the provision and discuss children's progress. They have acted swiftly to address the actions set following the previous inspection. Members of the committee complete a thorough process before taking up their roles. This includes ensuring that Ofsted is able to check their suitability.
• Staff know the children and their families well. They gather information on children's development before they start. This helps staff to plan activities to support children's individual needs. Managers form strong bonds with the parents of the children who attend. They offer them guidance with any issues that arise, such as children's eating and behaviour management. This helps to provide children with consistent messages about what adults expect from them, both at home and at the pre-school.
• Children receive strong support to prepare for their move to school. They accompany the staff to the on-site main school building to visit their new classrooms. This is particularly beneficial for children who may struggle with the transition, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff invite class teachers to visit the children at the pre-school. This helps children to begin to form relationships with their new teachers, supporting a smooth transition when they leave the pre-school.
• Staff provide younger children with challenging activities. For instance, children focus and persevere as they work together to complete a puzzle. They take time to turn each piece around to see where it fits, concentrating well. However, staff do not provide the most able children with the same level of challenge. For example, staff pre-cut circles for children to decorate as they create medals for sports day. They thread string through holes, instead of encouraging children to do these things for themselves. This contributes towards the most able children not progressing as quickly as possible in their learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to make the most of every opportunity to extend the most able children's learning so that they can make even more rapid progress.