Heart Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The children are happy. When asked by visitors 'are you happy today?', children give them a 'thumbs up'. Children show they feel safe and secure with the staff. They hold up their arms to be picked up, they give staff a big squeeze and snuggle into their shoulder. This contributes positively to children's well-being. Children benefit from the strong team spirit created by the manager and staff. This contributes to a culture of respect between staff and children, where children thrive in their learning.

Children thoroughly enjoy playing outside. They learn to take manageable risks as they ride and balance on wheeled toys. Children squeal with delight as they whizz down a steep slope. They smile with pride at their achievement when they stop at the bottom. Children's happiness is infectious, staff watch and offer lots of praise and encouragement without hindering children's enjoyment. These activities provide children with exercise and their physical development is greatly enhanced. Children respond positively to staff's high expectations of them. For instance, they persevere to open paint pots when staff say, 'you can do it'.

Children behave well and play harmoniously together. They respond to staff's consistent, gentle reminders, such as to share and take turns. Equally, children begin to learn positive strategies to manage their own feelings and behaviour. They use 'kind hands' and understand the impact of their actions on others.

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

• The manager has a positive attitude to helping staff continue their professional development. She gives them time away from the children to research and read articles. Staff complete a 'reflection log', to indicate what changes they are going to make to their practice following this time out. This in turn helps to improve experiences for children.
• Staff offer a curriculum that encourages the children to build on what they already know through their play and interests. The current focus for two-year-old children is to support them to begin to manage their feelings and behaviour. For instance, staff provide a cosy tent, where children sit with staff to look at books about emotions. For older children, the focus is to help them be ready for school. For example, children thread fruit onto kebab sticks. This helps to strengthen their fingers and thumbs in readiness for early writing.
• Parents are highly complimentary about the pre-school. They make comments such as, 'they love them like a mother would'. Parents feel informed about their children's progress and speak positively about their children's achievements. Staff know children well and identify experiences that they do not always receive at home, such as outdoor play. Staff make sure children have good opportunities to have fresh air and exercise daily, to help extend their current experiences. This contributes well to their health and well-being.
• Staff place high priority on the well-being of children. They are welcoming to children and their families. Transition arrangements into the pre-school are flexible. Staff work with new children to ensure they feel comfortable and settled. For example, when children show an interest in staff's walkie-talkie, they encourage them to speak to familiar staff across the room. This contributes to children's emotional security from the outset.
• When staff play alongside children, they support their imagination and encourage them to learn. This is evident when children pretend to make a cake. Staff encourage them to find different items to put in the cake. Children chat to each other and staff about the cooking process. However, staff, occasionally, do not extend what children know and can do. For example, at times staff do not inspire children, to ensure they remain highly engaged in activities.
• Staff place a good focus on promoting children's communication and language skills. They ask children a range of questions and give them time to think and respond. Staff use books well to capture children's interests and to increase their vocabulary. For example, during a story about monkeys, children make links to previous language they have learned through songs and rhymes. They instigate a song with actions and pretend to be 'monkeys jumping on the bed'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• raise staff's confidence and understanding of how to fully extend and inspire children's learning during activities.