Kids Play & Learn Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create a friendly atmosphere where children are happy to come in and settle quickly. Key-person relationships are strong, supporting children to feel safe and able to freely explore their surroundings. Staff place an emphasis on ensuring they know children well in order to provide activities each day that will excite and engage them.

Children behave towards each other with kindness and respect. Staff are good role models for behaviour and manners and they gently remind children of them during play. They provide activities that support turn-taking and sharing. For example, children patiently wait their turn to choose an object from the bag during a phonics game. Children are eager to engage in the many activities. Staff welcome children into play and are enthusiastic in their interactions. For example, children giggle as staff re-tell them stories using props. They thoroughly enjoy finishing familiar sentences in the story and acting out parts, such as blowing down the house of 'The Three Little Pigs'.

Leaders demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of their carefully designed curriculum. All staff take part in regular assessment and planning. They have high expectations for children and all children make good progress from their starting points. Staff provide a good balance of both adult-led and child-initiated activities. Many small-group times throughout the day prepare children well for their next stage in education. They quickly learn skills, such as sitting, listening, focussing and taking part.

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

• Staff provide a curriculum that is clearly sequenced to support children to build on their existing knowledge and skills. They provide differentiation within each activity so all children can make progress at their own level. For example, younger children enjoy making marks in a sand tray, while older children use pencils to practise writing recognisable letters.
• Staff support a love of reading by planning daily group story times and dedicated times for children to explore books independently. They read with expression and ask questions to help children understand the story. Children enjoy choosing a story and snuggling in close by staff as they listen intently.
• Staff are good at consistently providing children with new vocabulary. For example, younger children learn to describe different fruits as 'sour' or 'sweet'. Older children learn different words for textures, such as 'smooth' and 'spiky'. Leaders identify children with speech and language delays and provide targeted support for them. However, staff are less confident at using the resources they have, such as visuals, to continue to support their development. On occasion, staff are not proactive at encouraging children to remove dummies so they can practise their speaking skills.
• Children develop good problem-solving skills. Staff use open-ended questions to support their thinking. For instance, as children use scoops and ramps in the rice tray, staff ask them to predict what will happen if the ramp gets steeper. This promotes children's natural curiosity and builds a love of learning.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their self-help skills, such as washing snack plates and putting their own shoes and coats on. They give children lots of praise to develop their self-esteem. However, at times, staff are too quick to complete a task for children during group activities. At these times, children do not benefit from opportunities to further develop their independence and perseverance skills.
• Staff celebrate the diversity in the setting. For example, they plan opportunities for children to explore a range of multicultural festivals throughout the year and learn about each other's cultural backgrounds. This helps children to develop an understanding and appreciation of equality and diversity.
• Leaders are very reflective and consistently evaluate the care and education they offer. They regularly communicate with parents and utilise advise from other professionals to adapt practice and the environment to best suit the children. For example, they are currently improving and adapting positive behaviour strategies.
• Leaders have a genuine passion and desire to support all children and their families. They use funding well, such as the early years pupil premium, to ensure all children have access to the same opportunities. Furthermore, staff carefully consider additional resources to support all children to make good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff knowledge of how to support children's language and communication skills further
• ensure staff consistently support children to develop their independence, allowing them time to do things themselves.