Hellingly Preschool

Inclusion: Exceptional

The unique qualities of each child and family are actively celebrated in this exceptionally caring, nurturing setting. Leaders and staff use their exemplary levels of professional expertise to meticulously assess how to support every child's care and learning needs as soon as they join. A full programme of personalised support is instigated instantly. This level of precision and extreme accuracy in assessment means that gaps in children's development, or potential barriers to their future success, are identified and planned for from the start.

Leaders and staff have a transformational impact on the lives and outcomes of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to their learning. Every child, including those with SEND, makes exemplary levels of progress. Staff use innovative teaching strategies to make sure every child is enabled to reach levels that are higher than those once considered possible.

Leaders use an abundance of highly successful training and professional development opportunities to equip staff with the skills and knowledge they need to support every child. For instance, staff are fully trained in using alternative forms of communication to support children who may not be able to use spoken language. Leaders make sure staff have the specialist skills they need to support children with additional health needs, so that these children can be fully integrated into the setting and access the full curriculum.

Curriculum and teaching: Exceptional

Teaching is meticulously adapted to make sure every child reaches their full potential, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to their learning. Leaders have successfully created a curriculum that naturally embraces children's curiosity. The attention to detail in the planning of resources, activities and learning opportunities is commendable.

The teaching of mathematics is especially noteworthy. Staff empower children to confidently use numbers as they play. For example, when 2-year-olds make cakes in the role-play kitchen, they correctly turn the timer on the oven to 15. They confidently tell staff that 15 comes after 14 and before 16, demonstrating exceptional number knowledge for their age.

Staff deliver an extraordinary range of learning experiences that every child benefits from greatly. For instance, leaders arranged for a helicopter to land on the neighbouring field, knowing this would capture children's interests, generate their language and conversation, and spark their awe and wonder.

Staff know instinctively when to interact with children as they engage in play and how to extend learning in a meaningful way. Precise, targeted interactions are commonplace and fully support the leaders' aims to equip children with the confidence and skills they need to become independent learners.

Funding is used in a transformational way to meet the needs of children and families who are known to be more vulnerable. Leaders use funding to provide an extensive level of specialist training for staff to help them support individual children. Additional staff are employed so that the ratio of adults to children is extremely higher than what is generally expected.

Achievement: Exceptional

Children's levels of achievement are extremely impressive, and many children reach levels way above those considered typical for their age. The infinite range of skills, knowledge and personal attributes children achieve prepares them exceedingly well for success as they move on in their education.

Children become extremely active, curious learners and absorb new information easily. They demonstrate enhanced levels of knowledge for their age. For instance, children recall a volcano experiment with great clarity, and use words such as 'lava' and 'eruption' correctly as they describe what happened and why. Children retain this information with accurate clarity. This is illustrated when children visit volcanoes in other countries with their families and accurately recall to parents what they have learned at pre-school. This precise retention of knowledge provides children with an immensely secure foundation for their future learning.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who need professional help to support their speech and language, make impressive levels of progress. Gaps in their learning close rapidly.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Exceptional

Children become exceptionally confident, competent learners. They attend regularly and develop a real thirst for learning. All children approach activities with relish and enthusiasm. Their anticipation is palpable, and they demonstrate excellent dispositions to learn.

Leaders and staff have the highest expectations of every child. They role model kindness, respect and tolerance, and children replicate these values consistently in their own interactions. All children, including younger children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning, play together harmoniously and respectfully. The pre-school offers an exceptionally positive learning environment where every child is able to flourish and feel unique.

Children form extremely close attachments to the staff and look to their key person when they need some additional emotional support. Personalised strategies are used for every child. Key persons know their children intuitively and know exactly how to intervene and offer some emotional reassurance. This means children receive the help they need instantly.

Children reflect an exceptional level of maturity and empathy for their age. They talk about topics with genuine interest and recall favourite activities, such as when they visited the church to hear the organist play. Every child feels confident to learn and participates fully in the exciting programme of learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Exceptional

Staff demonstrate genuine compassion and dedication towards every child. The caring, extremely trusting relationships they form support children's emotional wellbeing exceedingly well. Key persons offer comfort and reassurance as they plan exclusively for each child's needs. Parents commend the staff for the exceptional lengths they go to, to enable their children to settle quickly at pre-school. They note the surge in confidence children gain once they feel secure.

The inspirational level of support for children's wellbeing has a transformational impact on how quickly children learn. Children who were initially shy approach activities with significant confidence and become leaders in their play. Children with individual health needs benefit greatly from the wealth of learning opportunities as leaders have made this possible for them. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities flourish in their learning. Leaders know exactly what they need and provide for their wellbeing exceedingly well.

Children develop an impressive understanding of how to stay healthy. They have extensive opportunities to be outside, and there is an abundance of opportunities for children to be physically active with the carefully chosen, extensive range of resources available. Children's levels of progress in their large-muscle skills are far in excess of what is typical for their age.

Children consistently learn about healthy routines. When talking about oral health, children talk knowledgeably about what cavities are and how these can be avoided. Children become 'food explorers' during snack time and are highly motivated to try an inspiring range of new foods and textures. Children excitedly recall how mango chutney and the home-made sushi are their favourites.

Leadership and governance: Exceptional

Leadership is groundbreaking. The needs of every child always have the highest priority. Parents are unanimous in their commendation for the staff team and the transformational impact it has on their children's achievements and attitudes to learning. The dedicated leaders meticulously assess children's needs when they first start and instigate extensive care and learning plans from the outset. This contributes towards the transformational impact they have on individual children's learning.

Other professionals are highly respectful of the leadership team and all it does to make sure every child succeeds. The leadership team's skills have been used to transform the outcomes of children attending other settings through a programme of ongoing leadership support programmes. The far-reaching impact of this is noteworthy. Leaders have exceptional levels of practice, expertise and professionalism. They are positive drivers for change and have an exceedingly positive influence on others who work with children.

Leaders recognise the phenomenal impact the provision has on young children, and the positive difference they and their staff make to children's future success in learning. They continually strive for excellence in all areas. Social events for parents are exceptionally well attended and adapted highly sensitively to meet the needs of all families.

Leaders work directly with children and play a full and active part in how successfully the sessions run. They are especially insightful in how they review practice and continually strive for ongoing excellence. Leaders support staff exceedingly well. They offer a comprehensive programme of professional development for every staff member. Staff report exceptionally positively on how immensely valued and supported they feel in their role.