Holy Apostles Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to attend this homely and well-organised pre-school. They are greeted by kind and familiar staff and quickly settle into their play. Staff plan a personalised curriculum that fosters children's independence, confidence and curiosity. They place a strong focus on supporting children to develop their communication skills. Staff engage them in meaningful and purposeful conversations throughout the day. Children show a positive attitude towards learning. They are eager to participate in group music sessions led by external professionals. Children listen attentively, understand expectations and raise their hands to share their ideas. Staff are enthusiastic and model engagement by singing along and joining in with actions.

Children are encouraged to make independent choices in their play, for example to play inside or outside. Younger children demonstrate their mathematical understanding. They match and sort shapes, build towers and count how many blocks they have used. Older children confidently gather their belongings and use 'the superhero method' to put on their coats independently. The environment is planned to support children's interests and understanding of current topics. Staff add a pirate flag to the outdoor climbing apparatus, and children use their imaginations as they pretend to be pirates. They encourage children to create telescopes and treasure maps. Children use and understand a good range of vocabulary, naming items such as 'compass'.

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

• Leaders monitor staffs' practice and offer training and support to improve their knowledge and skills. They have recently been working closely with the local authority advisor to ensure their personalised curriculum is securely embedded into practice. Staff value opportunities for professional development and training. They complete independent research on key areas of interest, such as the importance of outdoor play and teaching approaches for boys. Staff are reflective and share their newly gained knowledge with colleagues to implement it consistently across the setting.
• Staff support children to develop the skills needed in preparation for their move on to school. For example, they help children to be independent, recognise their name and manage their personal care. While staff take children to the school playground to familiarise them with the surroundings and help them feel safe and secure, they do not always share enough information with other professionals at the school about children's routines and prior learning at pre-school in order to ensure a more seamless transition to the next phase of education.
• Children develop early technology skills through access to a tabletop computer monitor, where they engage with educational games and programs. Staff encourage turn-taking by using timers to ensure all children have opportunities to participate. They share information with parents on how to support safe technology use at home. However, staff do not always use this time to extend children's learning to further support their understanding of how to use technology safely, including the effects of screen time and internet use.
• Partnerships with parents are a strength of the setting. Staff spend time with them during the induction period, getting to know children's past learning experiences, interests and routines from home. They maintain ongoing communication with parents through daily discussions, online learning journal updates and report cards each term. Parents are kept informed about what children are learning at pre-school to help them continue and extend children's learning at home. Feedback is very positive, with parents highlighting the setting's role in their children's development as 'instrumental'. They comment on their child's love for attending and the welcoming indoor and outdoor learning environments.
• Staff regularly observe children's play to monitor their progress. They swiftly identify any emerging gaps in learning and put support measures into place to close these. Staff engage with other professionals to ensure that children receive targeted support where needed. They regularly review support plans with parents to ensure these demonstrate a holistic and consistent approach to children's learning and development.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to be active outdoors, promoting their physical development and overall health and well-being. They demonstrate an awareness of how to keep themselves safe and are supported by staff to manage risks safely. For example, they wait at the top of the pirate ship for staff guidance before sliding down the pole. Children develop balance and coordination as they walk across balance beams, pretending to be pirates walking the plank.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with more experiences to learn about the risks of technology use, including the internet and screen time, to help them stay safe in the digital world
• strengthen partnerships with schools to ensure more information is shared about children's routines and prior learning to further support their move from the pre-school to school.