Kings Hill Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and secure at this inclusive, supportive and nurturing setting. They quickly build strong, close relationships with staff. Children are developing a love for stories and access a wide range of books. Staff read stories with great enthusiasm. This helps children to develop a passion for reading.

Children are well behaved and have a positive attitude towards learning. They are busy and meaningfully occupied throughout the day. Children are kind and considerate. For instance, they are quick to provide help, holding the rope swing to make it easier for their friends to get on and helping to open food during lunchtime.

Children learn about cultural differences and diversity. They have opportunities to explore differences and similarities using books and stories. For example, children consider the different methods used for cooking in different parts of the world. This helps to extend their knowledge of diversity and the wider world.

Children spend plenty of time outside in the garden and have good opportunities to exercise in the fresh air. Staff are highly vigilant and teach children the importance of managing risks. For example, children safely manoeuvre over the climbing frame and ensure the safety mat is in the right position under the swings. Children help one another to practise their balancing skills. They have a can-do attitude and understand their own physical capabilities.

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

• Staff know every child well and focus on each of them as an individual. They gather information about the children during the highly effective induction period and use this to help the children settle. Children's needs are always attended to in a supportive and meaningful way. Staff support them to become confident, independent learners. Children are well prepared to move on to the next step of their learning.
• Staff use information from observations and assessments to plan activities. For instance, children explore real foods and use their imaginations to pretend they are preparing meals in the kitchen. They cut the fruit and remove tiny seeds, practising their small-muscle skills. Staff are aware of how to develop children's knowledge by asking appropriate questions. However, on occasion, they do not probe further into children's understanding to develop their thinking skills. This does not challenge children's learning to the highest level.
• Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and attitudes towards each other. Children are taught to share and take turns during play. For example, when two children want the same toy, they are encouraged to use the sand timer to wait for their turn. This works very well in practice.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive very positive, inclusive care. Staff work tirelessly with parents and other professionals to provide a cohesive personal care and learning plan to support children's individual needs.
• Relationships with parents are given high priority. Staff use a range of effective strategies to engage parents in their children's development and learning. For example, they routinely invite parents to discuss their children's learning and development and share next steps. Staff understand each family's needs and are highly effective in providing precise guidance and support. Parents have strong praise for the care and education their children receive and appreciate the help and support they receive.
• Staff prioritise communication and language development in their curriculum. They create an environment rich in language for all children. Staff follow children's lead in play. They listen and respond, modelling language and repeating new words and phrases. This results in children of all abilities making good progress in their communication.
• Children develop an understanding of mathematical concepts. Staff have a good knowledge of how to bring the teaching of mathematics into everyday routines. For example, they encourage children to count and consider size and volume during their play and exploration. This supports children's understanding of mathematics well.
• Regular self-evaluation and effective teamwork contribute well to the pre-school provision. The manager supports staff and monitors their practice. Staff's well-being is consistently supported. This means that staff feel valued and enjoy their roles. However, professional development is not focused precisely enough to support the highest quality teaching and outcomes for children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus professional development opportunities more precisely on supporting staff to raise the quality of their teaching to the highest level and maintain children's engagement for longer
• make greater use of interactions with children to challenge them in their thinking skills and extend their learning even further.