Kingfishers Pre-Schools

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff are responsive to children's individual needs, including disadvantaged children and those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing. They identify children's emerging needs quickly and seek advice and support from professionals and external agencies. Staff implement plans to ensure children receive the support they need. For example, adapting the environment and providing calming spaces and using visual cues to help children understand their routines. As a result, all children receive timely and effective support.

Leaders take time to deepen their knowledge and understanding of speech and language. Recently, they attended training to learn about an early communication screening tool to benefit all children. However, leaders are yet to ensure that all staff receive this training to embed consistently high-quality support for all children in their care.

Leaders and staff monitor the impact of the early years pupil premium. They use this funding to help remove barriers to learning. Leaders have introduced dance sessions and purchased resources to increase children's communication and language skills. As a result, children develop confidence and engagement in their learning.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that covers all areas of learning. Staff follow all children's interests and adapt their teaching through their interactions. For example, when children show an interest in dinosaurs, staff quickly provide experiences to build on this. Children are excited as they explore with dough and dinosaurs. Typically, staff introduce words such as roll and squeeze, and name dinosaurs, such as stegosaurus. Children engage in daily back-and-forth conversations with staff. For example, about familiar community roles, such as dentists, doctors and hairdressers. Staff encourage children to make connections and talk about similarities and differences, ensuring all children are supported to take part. They use visual cues effectively to aid understanding. This helps to support children's understanding of the world and increases communication and language skills.

Staff teach mathematical skills through purposeful play. They encourage children to count, talk about size and recognise numbers in the environment. For example, children count how many friends are at nursery and compare long, big and small minibeasts. As a result, children develop their mathematical understanding.

Leaders and staff place an importance on developing children's self-care and independence skills. For example, children go to the toilet, wash their hands, feed themselves and pour their own drinks. However, at times staff do not consistently provide opportunities for older children to develop their independence to prepare them for school. For example, staff often get children's coats for them instead of encouraging children to do this for themselves.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children typically achieve well across all 7 areas of learning and development. They thrive from their starting points. They develop confidence in their physical skills. Children learn to use balance bikes and pedal bikes with control. They can run, jump and hop, demonstrating coordination. This helps build children's strength, balance and gross motor skills in readiness for future learning.

Children engage in back-and-forth conversations with their friends and staff. They learn about the seasons and confidently explain what happens in spring, using their prior knowledge. Children learn about the life cycles of butterflies and frogs. They closely observe the different stages of life cycles and show curiosity and fascination as they notice changes over time. This helps to support children's understanding and sense of wonder about the natural world.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children's behaviour. Staff are good role models and have a gentle approach with children. They help to remind children about the rules of the setting. Children follow these rules and show respect and kindness towards their friends and staff. Furthermore, children enjoy spending time with each other. Staff use rhymes to help children understand their routines, such as tidy-up time and mealtimes. Children work together as a team and help to tidy up and set up the table for mealtimes. As a result, children behave well.

Leaders promote punctuality and attendance. They support and reinforce expectations for all children and families. In addition, leaders support families by checking in with them and ensure support is provided to reduce barriers. This ensures good habits for future success.

Staff have built warm and loving relationships with children. They genuinely care and know their key children very well. Staff praise children for what they do well. For example, they give children 'high fives' and say 'You did it!' This helps children to feel motivated and build positive attitudes to their learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders and staff have typically created a safe and welcoming space for children. Staff talk to children about keeping themselves safe. Children understand the risks they may face outdoors and take part in daily risk assessments with staff. Staff support children to recognise the importance of checking equipment. Children report back to their friends and say, 'The safety wedge is on the door so we don't trap our fingers'. This helps children to develop an awareness of safety and take responsibility for keeping themselves safe.

Leaders work with families and share information about healthy meals. Children bring in nutritious, balanced lunches. Staff talk to children about exercising and eating well. Children, including those who face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing and disadvantaged children, enjoy music and movement sessions. They join in with actions and use wooden sticks as they tap these 'high, low, loudly and quietly'. This helps children to develop healthy habits, understand how to look after their bodies and build confidence in being physically active.

Care practices are managed and met with sensitivity. Children have built warm, secure bonds with their key persons. Staff help children to talk about emotions and use stories to explore how characters may feel. They encourage children to relate this to their own feelings and experiences. This helps children to express their feelings and manage their emotions effectively.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are committed to improving the quality of care and education. They identify strengths and areas they wish to develop further. Leaders and staff work in partnership with the on-site school, so children receive a smooth transition when they eventually move to school.

Leaders work closely with parents and their local community. Parents comment that their children are happy and that staff have helped them settle quickly. They feel well supported and appreciate regular updates and daily sharing of information. Parents enjoy attending workshops and finding out about what their children are learning. As a result, parents feel actively involved in their children's education.

Leaders support staff's wellbeing. Staff feel valued and appreciated and they have regular supervision. They are keen to update their knowledge and improve their practice. Leaders have identified and accessed training to further support children's learning and development. They now need to embed this new training in daily practice to ensure all children receive consistently high-quality support.