Hey Diddle Diddle Pre School Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff extend children's interest as they emerge, and build children's individual learning goals into the activities or experiences they participate in. They prepare an engaging environment which excites and interests children. For example, children use the pipettes to suck up the different coloured liquids and then mix them together, to see what colours they can create. This helps to strengthen children's hand muscles in preparation for writing. Children learn about Remembrance Day and decorate their own cardboard poppy with leaves and real red petals. This, along with discussion, helps to strengthen children's learning.

Children enjoy playing in the field with the large parachute. They each hold onto the edge of the parachute and place some leaves on top of it. Children listen and follow directions as they move the parachute around, up and down. They lift the parachute as high as they can and giggle, as the leaves fall around them.

Staff provide the older children with daily group activities, which encourage them to increase their knowledge of colours, shapes, numbers, syllables and letters sounds. During such activities, children listen intently, answer questions and communicate freely about their home life. Children are cheerful, self-assured and behave well.

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

• The manager makes sure that staff receive regular individual support meetings. She discusses any concerns staff may have about their own key children. She makes sure that each member of staff's practice is monitored, and any training needs are identified and planned for. This helps to make sure that staff improve the knowledge and skills they need to teach children effectively.
• Staff regularly observe children in their play and make assessments of their learning. They use this information to challenge and extend children's knowledge and skills across all the areas of their learning. Staff skilfully identify and support children who need extra help to develop their speech. They use an early communication screening tool to identify delays in children's use of, and understanding of language, and to help them plan supportive interventions. However, on occasion, staff miss opportunities to engage less confident children in group singing activities.
• The special educational needs coordinator has a secure understanding of how to identify and support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She regularly liaises with the local authority advisers to co-ordinate additional support for children with SEND. All staff have completed SEND training. This helps to ensure that these children make the best possible progress. Staff encourage children to appreciate the diversity of people. They provide a range of resources that introduce children to different cultures and languages.
• Staff encourage children to investigate and learn about the natural world. For example, children grow their own food, such as peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. Children watch as the plants grow and learn how to take care of them. They discover first-hand where food comes from. Children serve their own healthy snacks independently.
• Younger children have the opportunity to experience physical challenge and manage risks for themselves. For example, they climb over and manoeuvre the car tyres, and use low level balancing and climbing equipment. However, a small group of older, more able children, do not experience physical play that is challenging and tests their limits.
• Children's behaviour is managed very sensitively, and with a great emphasis on recognising effort as well as achievements. Additionally, staff use high-quality, positive role-modelling to encourage children's good behaviour. They provide a highly nurturing environment, which helps children to feel relaxed and safe, and to engage in new experiences.
• Staff get to know children and their families extremely well. Parents receive regular detailed information about their children's learning through parent meetings and daily chats. This helps parents to support and extend children's learning at home.
• The manager regularly seeks the views of parents, children and staff. She liaises with other early years providers and the local authority advisors. This, along with training, helps her to identify targets that provide a strong drive for improvement.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance less confident children's enjoyment and involvement in group singing activities
• enhance the already exciting outdoor physical opportunities available, so that the older, more able children experience an even higher level of physical challenge in their play.