Jack in the Box Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and confident at the pre-school. They are warmly greeted by friendly staff, who know them well and offer them good support as needed. Children have a positive attitude towards learning and are keen to explore. They show excitement and interest in the activities available to them, and clearly enjoy being physically active. For instance, inside they enjoy bouncing on the trampoline, and outside they balance on a low beam, and confidently negotiate climbing equipment.

Children freely choose what they want to play with and are seen to be engaged as they play imaginatively with the doll house and toy animals. Staff support children's speaking, concentration and literacy skills well. For example, in group times, children sit together and participate interactively with staff using puppets where they learn about sounds and letters. Children have many opportunities to develop their understanding of the world. For instance, they enjoy regular trips out in the community and help with enthusiasm as they plant and nurture the vegetables in the allotment. Overall, children behave well. They share well and show kindness to their peers. For example, older children take turns with younger children in having a ride around the garden in the pull-along truck.

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

• Staff implement a curriculum that enhances children's knowledge and skills in all areas of learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff ensure all children have their needs met and can access activities that support their interests. This helps to promote their ongoing learning. Furthermore, gaps in learning are quickly identified and planned for to help children make the progress they are capable of.
• Staff support children's communication and language development effectively. They engage purposefully with the children and support their thinking and speaking skills through conversations and questions. Staff understand the importance of developing children's love for reading and storytelling. They provide a wide range of books that are easily accessible for children, read to them and encourage children to recreate their own story.
• Children play well together and have clearly formed some good friendships. Staff support children's emotional development effectively. For instance, they praise children for their ideas and willingness to have a go at activities and tasks they are less confident in. This helps to support children's personal, social and emotional development, and active learning.
• Children are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they have recently had the opportunity to learn about basic first aid through a trainer brought into the pre-school. Staff remind children of rules accordingly, such as walking inside instead of running. However, on occasion, staff do not always explain to children why this is needed, to help them develop a deeper understanding of the rules.
• Staff provide a purposeful learning environment for the children. Children have many opportunities during the session to make choices, which supports their independent learning. However, at times staff focus on routine tasks which takes children away from activities they are enjoying, such as taking children to wash their hands. This interrupts their learning. Additionally, staff are sometimes too quick to do things for the children rather than encouraging them to have a go for themselves.
• Partnerships with parents and carers are good. Parents comment positively about how the manager and staff are approachable, kind and caring to them and their children. Staff provide parents with regular updates on their children's learning, through electronic communication and face-to-face discussion. This helps parents to feel involved in their children's development and supports them in knowing how to promote their child's learning at home.
• Staff comment that they enjoy working at the pre-school. They feel that they are part of a family and say that the manager is supportive of their well-being. All staff comment that they have regular supervisions and training opportunities available to them, which helps them to advance their professional development.
• The special educational needs coordinator is confident in her role to support children. She recognises the importance of working with professionals to get support for children as needed. This helps support children and prepares them for the next stage of their education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the good behaviour management strategies to help support children's understanding of the rules and boundaries even further
• review the organisation of some activities and routines to ensure that children's problem-solving skills are supported and that they are not unnecessarily interrupted from the learning opportunities available.