Ladybridge Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly as they receive a warm welcome from the happy and nurturing staff. They enjoy the exciting activities planned for them as they arrive. All children are enthusiastic, active, interested and curious to learn. Staff are attentive to children's needs and build close relationships with them.

Staff have designed a well-planned curriculum based on the children's interests and next steps. They support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. They have successfully focused on developing children's communication and language skills following the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children enjoy making play dough and talk about the ingredients they are mixing. They take turns to add the salt and flour as they mix it together. All children are making good progress in their learning. They are developing the skills that will help prepare them for their next stage in learning, including moving on to school.

Children behave very well. Staff are positive as they show respect and listen to what children say. They provide gentle reminders and explanations to help children learn about rules and boundaries. Children show respect for others, encouraging their friends to join in and take turns.

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

• Staff work closely with a range of services and professionals to meet children's individual needs. For example, they support children with SEND successfully, as staff know the children so well. The manager uses additional funding effectively to extend opportunities and experiences available to children. Staff support all children to make the best possible progress.
• Children's natural interests are incorporated into a range of exciting activities. Staff take into account what children know and what they need to learn next. Staff implement a well-thought-out curriculum that supports children's learning and progress. Children are engaged in learning.
• Children are supported and encouraged to be independent learners and to respect their environment. For example, staff encourage children to put on their own coats and shoes when going outside. They praise children for helping to cut up the fruit for snack, supporting them to have high self-esteem.
• Staff focus on developing children's communication skills. They model the use of spoken English well. Staff speak clearly, using simple words and phrases to support children's understanding. They describe what children are doing and ask lots of questions. However, staff do not always ask open-ended questions or give children enough time to think abut what they are being asked. This does not help children to build their communication skills.
• Children are supported to develop healthy lifestyles. They are provided with healthy snacks. Good hand hygiene routines are followed to help stop the spread of infections. For example, children are reminded to wash their hands before eating. Children learn the importance of good oral hygiene by brushing their teeth as part of their daily routine. As a result, children learn how to keep themselves healthy.
• Children learn about the diverse society they live in. They share their home languages and celebrate their diverse festivals and cultures. This helps all children to learn about different traditions and celebrations beyond their own. For example, during carpet time, the children are invited up to the front to talk to their friends about their Eid celebrations. This helps children to understand about similarities and differences with other people.
• Parents talk fondly of the care their children receive. They describe the staff as friendly and approachable. Parents comment positively on the progress their children have made since attending. However, some parents comment that they are not aware of who their child's current key person is. This means that consistency of care is not always experienced between home and nursery.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance opportunities to further develop children's communication and language skills through developing questioning skills
• effectively communicate with parents for them to have an understanding of the key-person system.