K M C Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy to arrive at this welcoming pre-school. They demonstrate a good understanding of routines in the day and settle quickly. They develop good self-confidence and take pride in their achievements, such as showing staff the work they have done and sharing their home news. Children use their imaginations well. For example, they enjoy arranging the animals on a map of a recent zoo visit to recreate their own zoo. Generally, children behave well and are prepared for their future learning.

Staff support children's learning and development well. For example, the curriculum provided is tailored to children's individual needs and interests. Staff incorporate literacy well into a range of everyday activities. This is helping children develop early reading skills. For example, staff use children's interest in 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' to extend their understanding of the story through crafts, letters and sounds, and the opportunity to re-enact the story.

Throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the staff continued to support those families whose children did not attend. They kept in touch with families through online meetings and telephone calls. Staff provided food parcels, and did online activities and stories with children. This helped children develop their communication and language skills while they were at home. Parents commented on how positive and helpful this contact was for them and their children, to continue their child's progress during this time.

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

• The manager and staff want children to become independent and resilient learners. They do this by encouraging children to dress themselves, serve meals and learn the importance of personal hygiene. Staff praise children for their efforts. This helps develop children's confidence and self-esteem.
• Children are learning how to keep themselves healthy. Staff teach children good hygiene practices, such as catching coughs and sneezes. Children engage in conversations about germs and the importance of keeping themselves well. Children enjoy the well-resourced garden. They develop physical skills by climbing, running, swinging, and rolling the tyres.
• Staff feel valued. They receive regular feedback on ways to improve teaching standards through effective supervision. The manager uses performance management processes to identify staff training needs. These are then addressed through formal training and coaching. This has a positive impact on the quality of teaching and the progress children make.
• Although children have an individual key person and all staff know the children, the manager does not teach staff to support children's personal, social, and emotional development effectively. For example, strategies to manage feelings and behaviour are not always consistent, particularly for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Children are developing a good understanding of the world. They demonstrate this by talking, for example, about the life cycles of the caterpillars. Children also take part in a vast programme of trips to support their understanding of the wider world.
• The manager and staff are committed to continually building on the good-quality care they provide. They gather the views of parents and children, and ensure these suggestions are included in the plans for development and improvement.
• The manager does not ensure staff have appropriate knowledge and understanding of how to consistently use mathematical language to fully promote children's early mathematics skills.
• Staff use children's interests and starting points to plan activities. They observe and assess children accurately to identify what they need to learn next, and use this information to help children progress. Swift action is taken to address gaps in children's learning. Consequently, all children make good progress from their individual starting points.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• teach staff strategies to consistently support children to learn how to manage their feelings effectively
• help all staff gain a better understanding of how to support children's mathematical language and skills.