Learning Land Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish at this community-focused pre-school. Leaders and staff have a deep understanding of the families who attend and tailor their support to ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

The curriculum strongly promotes emotional well-being and secure attachments. Staff know that many children face challenges outside the setting, so routines are calm, consistent and nurturing. For example, when children return after time away, staff re-settle them gently with their parents until they feel confident again. Positive reinforcement is used to teach kindness, turn taking and respect, rather than relying on rules or sanctions. This means that children feel safe, valued and ready to learn.

Staff support children to understand emotions, manage social situations and show care for others. For example, when disagreements occur, staff help children label feelings and find fair solutions. Adults gently explain empathy and respect for living things, such as the insects they find, linking feelings to the natural world. This helps children to develop kindness and talk about how they feel. As a result, children manage their emotions with growing confidence and build trusting relationships with adults and peers.

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

• Communication and language development is central to the curriculum. Staff recognise that many children are learning English as an additional language. They focus on building vocabulary, listening and understanding through every area of learning. Dual-language books and familiar print in relevant languages help children connect learning to their home life. As a result, children are becoming proficient in the use of English.
• The curriculum celebrates the rich cultural diversity of the community and helps children develop respect for themselves and others. Festivals from different faiths and cultures are explored with parents, who come in to share food and stories. The environment includes authentic items that reflect children's backgrounds. This means that children see themselves and their families represented in the setting. They are developing pride in who they are and curiosity about the wider world.
• Healthy lifestyles are embedded throughout the curriculum. Staff involve children in self-care tasks and model good hygiene. The setting promotes oral health, including providing toothbrush kits to use at home. This means that children become increasingly independent in making healthy choices. They understand how to keep their bodies safe and well.
• Strong partnerships with parents are embedded. Leaders understand that supporting families helps children to thrive. Consultations with parents are used to share updates and review family circumstances regularly. Families feel supported and valued. This trust enables open communication and consistent support for children, both at home and in the setting.
• The thoughtful environments provide a range of opportunities for children to strengthen their gross and fine motor skills. Children throw beanbags into chalked circles as staff demonstrate technique. They show skills as they balance on tyres, ride bikes and race with confidence. Indoors, children knead dough and talk with staff about how their hands move and stretch and get stronger.
• Staff promote early literacy skills through meaningful and practical experience. Children explore writing as part of everyday play. For example, children use chalk to make marks and shapes, linking their drawings to spoken words. In the home corner, they make shopping lists and choose food from menus inspired by local shops. These experiences make writing purposeful and connected to real life.
• Mathematical ideas are woven naturally through play and conversation. Children create patterns with chalk, match colours and count the legs on insects they find. Staff encourage comparison, such as 'big' and 'small', and discuss the shapes and patterns found in spiders' webs. This supports children to count confidently and use mathematical language with increasing understanding.
• The provider has made significant improvements to the outdoor area since the last inspection. The space is rich and inviting for children. However, teaching outdoors is not always as considered as it is indoors because learning intentions are not clear. This means that learning is not always linked to curriculum goals.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider how the curriculum can more explicitly support purposeful learning experiences outside to develop teaching to an even higher standard.