Kinder Preschools

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to learn. They keenly register their arrival and hang up their coats on labelled coat pegs. Children have a positive sense of self and belonging within the pre-school. They demonstrate that they are emotionally secure and that they feel safe. Children eagerly seek out their key person to notify them of their arrival. They quickly settle to activities they enjoy.

Children benefit from healthy meals provided by the pre-school to help to promote healthy eating. For example, children enjoy breakfast when they first arrive, which prepares them for the busy day ahead. Children who start their early education at lower than expected levels of development swiftly catch up. They are well prepared for the next stages in their learning, including school.

Children enjoy participating in sensory activities and explore a wide range of natural objects. For example, they show delight and fascination as they mix ingredients to make some dough. Children show very positive behaviour. Staff have high expectations for all children. Children begin to show respect for one another, share and take turns. Staff encourage children to use 'walking feet' indoors to help them develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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

• Leaders act with integrity. They ensure that children access their free entitlement to early education, particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children make steady progress in their learning and development.
• The manager and staff use assessment to quickly identify gaps in children's learning and development. They work very successfully with other agencies for a targeted approach and to help to keep children safe and protected from harm.
• Staff receive regular support from a local authority early years team. For example, staff say that following recent training on how to create an environment that supports the curriculum intent, they now plan an enabling environment to meet the individual needs of all children. Staff welcome the ongoing support and professional development opportunities to improve their knowledge of the areas of learning they teach.
• Children receive good levels of support and early education. However, staff do not always maximise opportunities to help children to become involved and engage in opportunities available to them. On occasion, staff do not always respond quickly when some children become disengaged and lack focus.
• The curriculum intent for early mathematics is implemented very well by staff. For example, staff successfully introduce mathematical language alongside children's play.
• Children enthusiastically share new knowledge. For example, children measure towers they build from construction blocks. They keenly count as they point to numbers on a ruler. Children are confident and eager to learn. They skilfully pour flour, water and oil into a measuring jug and estimate how much 'more' or 'less' is needed to make dough.
• Staff confidently extend children's language skills and vocabulary to a good level. For example, staff comment on children's actions, saying, 'this is squidgy', when they squeeze and prod dough. Children speak with confidence and eagerly use new words during their play. For example, children say 'broccoli' and 'celery' as they safely chop real vegetables.
• Many children who attend the pre-school speak English as an additional language. They receive good support from staff to settle in and to learn new words in English. Nevertheless, there are very limited opportunities to value the many languages children also speak at home. Despite this, parents comment highly on the good improvement in their children's language development.
• Parents comment highly on the care their children receive. They say they welcome regular meetings with key staff to discuss what their children know and can do and what they need to learn next. Parents comment that they value ongoing support from staff, including how they can help to contribute to children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's good teaching skills to help to maximise opportunities for children to be consistently focused and engaged
• create more opportunities for children to see a range of text and print to help to value and celebrate the languages they speak at home.