Leading Strings Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

When children arrive at the pre-school, they receive a warm welcome from leaders and staff. Staff create a friendly and inviting atmosphere, allowing children to build strong relationships with their peers and the adults. Staff plan a variety of interesting and engaging activities that cover all areas of the curriculum. This approach also provides children with opportunities for self-directed play. Young children enjoy playing with staff and receive assistance, for example, while dressing up during role play. Older children demonstrate confidence as they communicate their needs effectively to staff.

Staff serve as positive role models for children, which encourages their good behaviour. As a result, younger children start to understand and consider the needs of others while sharing resources. Older children are kind and include younger ones in their play ideas, patiently waiting their turn.

Staff value the knowledge they have gained from speech and language training, which has helped them to feel more confident in their interactions. For instance, children demonstrate curiosity by asking relevant questions about what they observe. They engage with staff to discuss various insects they find while exploring soil. Staff allow time for children to respond to their questions and instructions. Through these regular discussions, children also learn about the wider world and different ways of life. Additionally, children eagerly select books on their own and enjoy listening to staff read stories, demonstrating good levels of concentration.

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

• Staff engage positively with children during their play, enhancing their learning experiences. For example, children enjoy a pretend walk in the jungle to search for wild animals. However, staff plan some activities without a clear learning intent, which limits the effectiveness of the opportunities, despite children's eagerness to participate. Despite this, all children make good progress.
• Children have a positive attitude towards their learning and are eager to explore their surroundings. They engage with materials, such as dough, sand, herbs, petals and water, with curiosity. However, some group activities, especially during role play and the outdoor use of bicycles, are not well organised to meet the diverse learning needs of all children. This does not consistently promote children's engagement in their learning.
• Staff plan and provide resources and activities which significantly enhance children's early writing and mathematical skills. For example, children collect coloured objects for a rainbow activity, counting and recording their findings. Children take pride in their abilities as they share their drawings with staff and visitors. Children develop skills that prepare them well for their future learning in school.
• Snack times are well organised, with children sitting together to enjoy healthy snacks. Staff prioritise children's health by ensuring that they wash their hands before meals and discussing the importance of hygiene in eliminating germs. They also teach safe knife skills when cutting fresh fruit, explaining the differences between the sharp and blunt sides of the knife, as well as how to hold it properly.
• Children enjoy fresh air and exercise as they move freely between the hall and the well-equipped garden. They participate in physical activities, such as dance and stretching. Staff enhance children's imaginations by using familiar songs and rhymes, helping children to develop strong language skills.
• Leaders have taken the necessary actions to ensure compliance with all requirements. For example, they have relocated the pre-school to a different area of the church, making it suitable for the age group of children being cared for and meeting all relevant healthy and safety standards.
• Leaders and managers provide good support for staff and regularly monitor their practice to ensure the quality of education. Their self-evaluations are accurate, and they use effective methods to gather feedback and opinions from the local authority's early years advisers, as well as from parents, carers and staff.
• Leaders and staff collaborate closely with parents, for example, by holding regular drop-in sessions each term. These sessions facilitate discussions that support consistent learning and development for all children. Parents value the personalised attention their children receive. They express appreciation for staff and the support they provide.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's understanding of what they want children to learn during planned activities
• review and improve the planning of group activities to maximise children's engagement in their learning.