Kingsbury 1st Pre-School Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have fun and thrive at this nurturing pre-school. They feel safe and secure and develop their confidence well. Children build strong relationships with their key person. Staff have high expectations for children and, as such, they behave well. Children use good manners, share and take turns as they play. Children are regularly praised for their achievements, which encourages them to keep learning and practising new skills. Children are encouraged to develop their imaginations. For example, they buy food and count out change as they play 'shops'. Children develop their independence well. They actively make their own choices during their play and put on their own coats and wellingtons when they go outside.

Children benefit from a language-rich environment. They are regularly introduced to new vocabulary, listen to a range of stories and sing songs throughout the day. Staff talk to children about what they are doing and ask them a range of engaging questions. This means that children develop their speaking skills well. Children benefit from a range of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, they enjoy pouring water, mixing and stirring as they make mud pies in the mud kitchen outside.

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

• The manager plans an ambitious and sequential curriculum that is based on children's interests. There is a rigorous process for finding out what children know and can do when they first start attending the setting. Staff use their knowledge of children's interests to plan a range of activities that are engaging and exciting.
• Staff make effective use of regular assessments to inform their curriculum plans. They are quick to identify gaps in learning and put support in place swiftly where needed.
• The manager places a high priority on promoting British values in the setting. She understands the importance of staff modelling these values to children and encourages children to follow simple pre-school rules to support their behavioural development. Children learn to celebrate their similarities and differences, and they enjoy celebrating a range of cultural festivals.
• Children really enjoy their time at nursery. They have fun and delight in taking part in the range of activities that are on offer. For example, children laugh and squeal in delight as they accidentally splash themselves while playing in the water area.
• Children are provided with a range of opportunities to practise new skills. For example, children are encouraged to practise their counting skills by counting out bricks while constructing, counting spots on the ducks backs in the water area and counting buttons on gingerbread men as they play with malleable materials.
• In general, partnership working is effective. Staff work closely with external agencies to ensure that children receive any additional support they require. However, where children attend more than one setting, two-way information is not always communicated as best as it could be. There is scope to build on this further so that information about what children know and can do is shared as swiftly as possible.
• Parents speak extremely highly of the setting. They comment that staff go above and beyond with the support they provide to children and families. Parents state that they receive regular communication about their children's progress.
• The key-person system is highly effective. Staff are highly attuned to children's needs and interests and plan adult-led activities to meet these. However, on occasion, staff deployment during child-led play does not always ensure all children receive high-quality interactions from adults. This means that, at times, children choose to not engage in purposeful play opportunities.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Staff are knowledgeable and ensure referrals to external agencies are timely and thorough. Staff work closely with children towards targets provided by external agencies. The manager uses additional funding to ensure all children have their needs met.
• The manager is highly reflective and leads with enthusiasm. She is passionate about providing high-quality education for children and reflects on practice regularly with her team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to consider staff deployment so that all children benefit from the highest quality interactions at all times, supporting them to make even greater progress
• further build on partnerships with other settings so that information about what children know and can do is shared and can be used to support planning at the earliest opportunity.