Ladybird Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly greeted by staff as they arrive at the setting. They have good relationships with staff, which helps them to settle quickly into their day. Children are eager to take part in activities and talk to their peers while completing puzzles. They sit with staff to read books and talk about their favourite stories. Children take turns at activities. For example, while making fake snow, children share the various ingredients, mixing and stirring them.

Children gain independence as they help to prepare fruit and set up cups and plates for their snack. Staff help younger children to find their bags for nappy changing. Children are able to put their own coats on when going outside, and help is available if they require it. Older children find their names independently, while younger children have a picture on their name cards to help find their names. Children are confident to speak to visitors and share their ideas. They talk about what their favourite activities are in the setting. Children discuss making a new type of dinosaur and naming it an 'Octosaurus'. Staff take children on trips in the local area. They visit the allotments, where they see the vegetables growing, and talk about growing their own vegetables to have at snack time.

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

• The management team has a clear vision for the setting and how they would like to move forward. For example, they have gained funding to set up a sensory garden. They have created a curriculum that is adaptable, to support all children who attend.
• Staff feel valued and well supported by the management team. They have regular supervisions and appraisal meetings. Regular staff and management meetings take place, and this enables information sharing. Managers encourage staff to undertake training to further develop their own skills and knowledge.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) embraces her role within the setting. She works with a variety of agencies to ensure the children receive the best support possible. The SENCo completes all relevant paperwork and is able to signpost families to the correct agencies for support.
• Staff plan experiences that engage children. For example, children use tools to attempt to get items out of frozen ice. However, there are occasions when staff are not consistent with supporting children's behaviour. When this is not supported appropriately, there is an impact on children's learning.
• Parents praise staff at the setting and comment on the progress their children make. Staff welcome parents into the setting during arrival and collection times, which helps to build positive partnerships. Parents speak highly of the communication from staff, which allows them to know what their child has achieved during the day. Parents access an online platform, which provides further information about the next steps their children are working on and how they can support this at home.
• Staff skilfully support the use of technology. They show children which buttons to push to look at photos that are on an electronic tablet. Children have access to an electronic streaming device and are able to choose their own songs to listen to. All electronic resources have parental controls, and staff supervise their use.
• All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, benefit from staff that provide an environment rich in language and vocabulary. Children experience new words and embed existing knowledge. They talk about how the melon they prepare for snack feels, using words such as 'slippery', 'cold', and 'squidgy'. Mathematics is part of children's everyday conversation. For example, young children play with a car garage and use positional language to describe what is happening to the car. They comment, 'the car is going down', and, 'the car is at the back'.
• Staff use the well-equipped outside area to encourage physical play. Staff provide water and paintbrushes for children to 'paint' blackboards or the pirate ship. Staff support children to use a variety of bicycles and scooters on the road track and provide beams for children to learn how to balance.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to be consistent in their management of children's behaviour, to reduce the impact on children's learning.