Hatherleigh Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to arrive at pre-school and settle quickly, including those new to the setting. Staff provide children with activities that interest them, helping them to feel secure. Children wash their hands when entering the setting to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 (coronavirus) transmission. Children inform visitors that 'germs make you sick'. They understand the importance of good hygiene measures. Staff have high expectations for children's personal, social and emotional development. They provide opportunities for children to express their views, such as voting on their favourite fairy tales. They discuss in detail how the characters in the story might feel. Staff encourage children to develop mutual respect. For instance, staff provide positive posters of males and females working in the dairy industry. This encourages children to learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others.

Children confidently make independent choices in their play. They choose from a selection of activities both inside and outdoors. Children enjoy painting with water. They show good hand-to-eye coordination in preparation for early writing. Children behave well and enjoy being physically active. They show good balance and control when on the climbing frame.

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

• The managers reflect well on their practice and have regular supervision meetings with staff. This helps them to consider different ways to enhance children's development. For example, staff find innovative ways to help children learn the letters and sounds in their name. This contributes to children's understanding of early reading.
• Children have good opportunities to discuss and manage their emotions. They talk about how the newly developed garden area makes them feel. Children state, 'The flowers make me happy'. Staff put these thoughts on display around the setting, to show how children feel. Staff provide children with different ways to channel their feelings positively. Children enjoy being active outside. They throw balls at a target or toss sponges into a bucket.
• Management and staff know children well. They obtain children's starting points and plan activities to help children progress. However, activities are not left out for children to explore independently. For example, children show an interest in making 'number plates' and planting saplings. Staff soon tidy these activities away, meaning children do not revisit them in the short term. This does not help children to build on their prior knowledge and extend their learning. In addition, staff do not explain the purpose of activities to help children understand what it is they would like them to learn.
• Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff provide daily information to parents about their child's day. They provide 'to and fro' books and targeted care plans, providing parents with information about how to meet their child's individual needs. Parents can leave their views via a 'comments box'. The managers respond promptly to these, addressing all points effectively.
• The setting works closely with other professionals. They work hard to ensure the smooth transition between the pre-school and the local primary school. For example, the Reception teacher visits the pre-school. She provides information packs on starting school and interacts with children. Staff make lovely displays of the school environment and of teaching staff. Children become familiar with their future setting.
• Staff work hard to improve children's communication and social skills. Children share and consider other people's viewpoints. Staff repeat sentences clearly to help children's vocabulary. Children take part in group activities to promote their listening and speaking skills. However, their learning is not always maximised during whole- or large-group sessions. Learning experiences are not organised as effectively as they could be to meet all children's individual needs. Children occasionally lose focus and distract their classmates.
• Children have good levels of self-esteem and confidence. They take pride in their work, showing visitors what they can achieve, for example when mixing paint. Children learn how to make purple by combining red and blue paint.
• Staff are passionate in providing all children with opportunities to be at one with nature. Children learn how plants grow and how to re-pot saplings. They use good mathematical language when deciding which size pots to use. Children talk about how the bag of compost is 'heavy'. They place food waste in the compost bin and develop an understanding of decay.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to help children understand the purpose of activities and give them opportunities to revisit these, building on what they already know and can do
• review whole-group activities, catering for children's individual needs so they consistently maintain attention, to benefit their communication skills.