Jst 4 Kidz/Totz

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate very high levels of energy and excitement as they enter the well-resourced and vibrant environment. Staff immediately greet children, who have excellent emotional attachments to staff. Children develop superior levels of self-esteem and confidence in this outstanding setting. Staff are consistent in praising children and making them feel special. They use a wide variety of methods to promote children's good behaviour. As a result, children demonstrate exemplary friendships and behaviour.

Children are engrossed in a wealth of captivating and highly challenging activities and experiences, which staff expertly plan in great detail. Children take part in an activity to design odd socks. This activity is planned to help children learn about differences and anti-bullying. They learn about other topics in their curriculum, such as the role of the post person. Staff expertly plan an activity for children to post themselves a letter. They go to the post box to post it and then bring it back to the pre-school when it has arrived. This activity, along with many others, ignites children's curiosity.

Children excitedly explore the outdoor area. They inquisitively explore, investigate and speculate as they discover minibeasts and explore the muddy digging area. Children patiently take turns while playing games. For example, they take turns to tell their friends what they do that makes them smile. Staff sensitively help children to express their feelings or worries.

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

• Excellent relationships with parents are in place. Parents are invited into the setting to attend special events with their children, such as a teddy-bears picnic. Staff also provide parents with an array of ideas to continue children's learning at home. For instance, children are encouraged to collect and count conkers. Parents are extremely complimentary about the pre-school.
• Children make exceptional progress. Staff plan an inspiring curriculum, which is informed by their meticulous observations and assessments. They use a wealth of innovative ways to expand and reinforce children's knowledge. For example, staff use familiar stories to help embed children's knowledge of counting, shapes and sizes. Children start school with an abundance of knowledge and skills and a love of learning.
• Staff skilfully support children's physical development. For example, older children skilfully negotiate pathways on balance bicycles in the outdoor play area. Younger children competently use scissors and manipulate dough to make models. Toddlers develop their large-muscle skills. They move well as they walk up steps and manoeuvre themselves down the slide.
• The leadership team places a huge focus on supporting and developing children's and their parents' understanding of healthy eating. They hold workshops and send home suggestions to parents. Staff also translate these suggestions into different languages to support parents who speak English as an additional language. They use discussions and activities to help children learn about good oral hygiene and healthy eating. Older children brush their teeth after lunch.
• The leadership team uses its experience to skilfully evaluate the quality of the pre-school. Staff are passionate, driven and show a complete dedication to providing the highest-quality care and education for all children.
• The leadership team celebrates staff's individual skills and interests. For example, there is a lead phonics teacher in place, and another member of staff is responsible for supporting families who speak English as an additional language. Staff attend training to develop their knowledge. This significantly contributes to staff being confident and helps to maintain the exceptional quality of education already in place.
• Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of children's learning needs and consistently deliver high-quality interactions that build on children's speech and language skills effectively. For example, staff read stories with excitement in their voices, and children repeat phrases back with increasing confidence and fluency. Children access resources, such as teddy bears, masks and costumes, that encourage them to use their imaginations and creative skills as they role play.
• Children in receipt of funded early education and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to reach their full potential. Staff working with children have an exceptional understanding of their learning and needs to ensure that they achieve the best possible outcomes. Children's progress is constantly monitored, and rapid referrals are initiated to ensure that interventions are obtained when necessary.