Holbrook Community Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in the welcoming environment provided by the pre-school. All staff show a dedication to providing children with high-quality learning experiences. Staff plan a range of activities that deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that caters for children's current interests and their existing knowledge. Consequently, all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language, make progress from their starting points. Staff demonstrate a genuine delight when children arrive at the pre-school. They ask about the children's home life and how their morning has been. This interest in their well-being helps children develop a sense of belonging at the pre-school and enables them to settle quickly.

Children demonstrate a strong, positive attitude to their learning. They arrive at the pre-school with high expectations for the day ahead and immerse themselves into activities which have been carefully planned for them. Children understand the high expectations of behaviour that staff model for them. Staff are gentle, kind and respectful. This has a positive impact on how children treat each other, resources and adults. Children feel valued, important and listened to.

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

• Leaders have a clear vision for the pre-school. Their self-evaluation is accurate and identifies areas for further development. Leaders work collaboratively with the staff team. Opportunities are available to help staff continue in their professional development, such as further training. This helps to enhance the already high level of care and education that children receive. Staff recognise and appreciate that leaders invest in them. They comment that they feel very valued and that their well-being is high.
• Staff promote books and a love of reading with the children. They have a focus story, which the children have chosen, and read this in a way that captures children's imagination. Children are encouraged to contribute with their own ideas. They become excited and demonstrate a clear joy in acting out the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Staff provide resources and encourage children to think about and discuss the materials needed to build a strong house. This questioning further extends children's learning in a memorable way.
• All children, including the youngest and those who are new to the pre-school, demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. For example, children enjoy cuddles with the loving staff. They approach them when they become upset. The key-person system works very well at the pre-school. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of children and their families. They offer support for parents in a variety of situations, for example, when children struggle to part from a parent in the morning. Leaders make sure that all referrals to outside professionals are timely and impactful for children with SEND. Parents and carers offer extremely positive feedback about the helpful impact the caring staff and leadership team have had on their families.
• The skills that children need for the next stage in their education, such as moving on to school, are well embedded into daily routines. Children, even the youngest, are encouraged to be independent. For example, they help to prepare the snack for other children. Staff use opportunities such as this to support children's mathematical skills, including counting out cups and pieces of fruit for their friends. Children put away their belongings and staff gently encourage the children to put on their coats when getting ready for outside play.
• Children enjoy ongoing opportunities for outside play and running around in the fresh air. They regularly go for walks in the local community which helps educate children on current or future topics. Children visit the local church and attend a nearby retirement home to interact with the residents. Experiences such as these help children with their social skills and helps develop an early understanding that not all disabilities can be seen.
• Overall, the staff are knowledgeable and skilful They have a good understanding of how to promote children's learning. This enables children to make progress across the areas of the curriculum. All staff know what they want children to learn next. However, the quality of staff's teaching can be variable. Interactions from staff are not always precise and meaningful. On occasions, this results in children not being fully supported to extend their learning. Despite this, children's involvement and engagement throughout the pre-school is high.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the monitoring and coaching of staff, to help staff provide more consistent support for children's learning.