Higham Village Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed at this friendly and caring pre-school by smiling staff who know them well. Children enter eager to explore the activities set up for them. Staff promote children's social and emotional skills well. They encourage children's confidence when persevering with tasks, giving reassurance and saying that they believe in them. Children jump up and down excitedly, exclaiming 'I did it!'. This supports children's confidence successfully. Staff plan an interesting and motivating curriculum based on children's interests and needs. For example, children spend time exploring diggers and trains together, maintaining engagement and focus. These activities help promote children's social skills effectively.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. Staff are good role models and are kind and calm in their approach. Children show that they feel secure and settled. Staff promote children's independence well. Children enjoy helping to set up for snack time as they share out cups and sweep up. This encourages children's positive attitudes. Staff have high expectations for children. They are gentle and sensitive in their interactions with children, reminding them how to be good friends and to understand the rules of the setting. As such, children behave well and make good progress.

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

• Staff support children to demonstrate good behaviour. Where children need support, staff swiftly and skilfully step in and patiently explain to children about the impact of their actions on their friends. They help children to share and take turns, using timers to support them. Children's individual achievements are displayed on the 'wow' board to encourage them. These activities help children to understand the consequences of their actions and supports their developing friendships positively.
• Staff teach children to be inclusive. For example, staff encourage children to learn about and celebrate their friends cultures. Staff learn how to pronounce words in different languages to help children settle in. Children enjoy taking home the setting mascots and share photographs of them with their families. These activities successfully support children's understanding of the world around them.
• Children benefit from experiences to develop their physical skills. For example, they delight in riding bikes outside to develop their coordination. Children enjoy exploring play dough with a range of resources. Staff extend children's development by providing them with different sized cutters so that children can develop their hand-movement skills effectively.
• Staff promote children's mathematical skills well. Children remain engrossed when matching coloured puzzle pieces together. Staff encourage children to join in with counting when singing number rhymes and to count out the different items in their lunch bags. Staff use routine times to encourage and support children's development further. However, some parts of the day can be noisy and the organisation of routines means that children at times, become distracted and this impacts on their engagement in learning.
• Staff encourage children to enjoy stories and books. They use language, such as 'hilarious' when talking with children. Staff model good listening skills and show genuine interest in what children say and do. Children talk positively about their 'minibeasts' session where they learn skills to help them at school, such as recognising and writing their names.
• Children with SEND are very well supported. Staff develop individual plans to target their next steps in learning. Staff learn sign language to help children understand them effectively. They have very strong partnerships with outside agencies, local settings and specialist schools, to support families. Leaders and managers use funding well to develop areas to promote children's developing interests. For example, they have created a sensory garden and vegetable patch.
• Leaders and managers are reflective, hardworking and committed to providing good quality care and education. They collaborate very effectively with local partners, sharing information well to help children settle. They provide families with a wide range of support and ensure staff are well qualified and trained. All children make good progress from their starting points.
• Communication with parents is strong. Parents report that their children have made good progress in their confidence and communication. They are provided with ideas and information to help their children's learning at home. Parents talk highly of the staff and what a close-knit team they are. They appreciate how well the staff know their children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the structure and organisation of some parts of the day to minimise distraction and further enhance children's attention and focus.