Kings Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show they feel happy and safe in the setting. When they arrive, children and staff greet each other with smiles and children are keen to talk to staff about any news they have from home. Throughout the day, staff encourage children to develop their independence skills as much as possible. When they arrive, children put their coats away and know where to put their lunch boxes and water bottles. Children confidently change their indoor shoes to wellington boots when they want to access the garden outside. Staff support children to have consistently high expectations of what they can achieve for themselves.

Children enjoy the many different learning opportunities on offer. They benefit from planned activities which match their interests. Children show curiosity with exploring sensory materials. For example, they spend a sustained period of time making porridge for Goldilocks and the three bears. They use spoons to scoop the oats in and then explore the feel of oats mixed with milk on their hands. Staff encourage children to explore and develop their ideas.

Children learn all about how to develop a healthy lifestyle. At snack time, staff talk to children about the different fruit they are eating and if they have tried them before. Staff provide children with plenty of opportunities to exercise and be energetic in the outdoor garden.

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

• Staff work very well together as a team. They have weekly staff meetings, which the management team use as opportunities to further staff's professional development. The management team undertake regular observations of staff, so they know what they do well and what they can do to improve further. Staff comment that the management team are fully supportive of any further training they would like to access to develop their skills.
• Parents are very positive about the care their children receive in the setting. They say their child's key person is always available to talk to them, and they receive regular information about their child's development. Parents appreciate the daily updates they receive on an online application, with photographs showing activities their children have enjoyed doing.
• Staff and children have positive relationships with each other. Throughout the day, staff encourage children to take part in different activities. For example, when children show an interest in St David's Day, staff invite them to participate in making a cheese and leek pasta bake. Children persevere for long periods when cutting leeks. Staff support and encourage children as they safely chop, saying, 'you can do it'.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities very well. Additional funding is used effectively to provide children with more focused adult support or extra resources. Staff have a secure knowledge of the support the children in their care need. The management team work very closely with families and other professionals to provide additional support to meet children's individual needs.
• Staff support children to develop a love of reading. They introduce books into activities throughout the day to extend children's learning. Children dress up in costumes and bring their favourite stories from home to share for World Book Day. They are keen to share books with visitors to the setting and show them who their favourite character is.
• Staff encourage children to develop strong friendships. Children are kind and caring to their friends. For example, they try to help their friend to find a Spiderman costume in the dressing-up area. When they cannot find one, children share the costume they are wearing that they have brought in from home. Children say 'thank you' to each other and negotiate the time each will wear the costume for. Staff praise the children for being kind to each other.
• Staff interact with children throughout the day. Many natural, relaxed conversations take place between staff and children. Occasionally, quieter, less confident children do not always receive the same number of interactions from staff.
• Most staff are confident to support children with the next steps in their development. However, some staff are not always as confident with what children's precise next steps are. This means sometimes activities can be a little too easy or too challenging for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure quieter, less confident children have the opportunity to share their views
• develop staff confidence and understanding of planning precise next steps for children.