Lighthall Under Fives Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are loved and nurtured by the inspirational staff. They happily walk into pre-school confidently and are individually greeted by the caring team. This helps children to feel safe and happy. Children put away their belongings independently and complete their self-registration. All children are aware of the importance of good health and hygiene. They independently go to wash their hands before going to play with their friends. Children settle very well. Staff provide an inviting range of stimulating activities that spark children's interests and curiosity. Staff are excellent role models. They consistently demonstrate kind words and good manners. Staff speak to the children and one another with respect. Children's behaviour is exceptional. They play harmoniously together in the sand, creating castles and exploring different movements that make marks. Children are polite and kind to each other.

The experienced staff provide an ambitious curriculum to support children's physical development. Children develop their strength and coordination through a vast array of opportunities. They climb up the ladders of the slide and slide down with pride. Children climb into the pirate ship and learn to manage risks as they negotiate how to slide down the pole. Daily opportunities to explore malleable materials such as play dough help to strengthen children's hands and fingers, which supports their early writing skills.

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

• The staff and managers have worked collaboratively to create an inspiring curriculum that provides a wealth of experiential learning. They develop exceptional relationships with parents, which helps them to understand children's early experiences and to extend opportunities for children. Staff introduce children to wondrous activities such as exploring eggs and watching as they hatch. This encourages children to develop curiosity, to ask questions and experiment with their ideas. Children learn how to take care of animals and develop a deeper understanding of growth. Staff support this further through opportunities to grow plants and vegetables. Children take the responsibility of caring for them, watching them grow and then tasting some of the produce.
• Children flourish in an environment that celebrates the importance of literature. The staff skilfully plan and immerse children in engaging story times. Children gain a rich and varied vocabulary through the repetition of words and phrases during play. For instance, children take part in fishing activities where they explore sea creatures. They name the puffer fish and talk about hermit crabs. They learn that a large number of fish swimming together is called a shoal as they experiment with colours and textures in their artwork. Staff extend opportunities for children to develop a love of books and development of communication through their lending library. Children choose from a wide range of books and games that they can borrow to share with their families at home.
• Children are confident, independent learners. Staff give them many opportunities to make choices. For example, children vote for the snack that they would like to eat each morning. This teaches them the importance of British values and democracy. Children work with staff to prepare snack for their friends by slicing grapes and peeling oranges. They learn how to use tools safely. At snack times, children know that they must wash their hands before eating. Children butter their own crackers and pour their own drinks. Staff talk to the children about the value of healthy eating. Children confidently attend to their own toileting needs.
• The staff and managers have excellent relationships with the parents and carers of the children that attend. Parents admire the teamwork and the loving ethos that the staff have created for their children. Parents are proud that their children make exceptional progress at pre-school and feel that they are fully included in their children's educational journey. Staff share weekly newsletters with parents, sharing ideas and support as well as information about what children have been learning. This helps parents to embed this learning at home and children delight in sharing with the staff what they have learned at home.
• The manager makes excellent use of additional funding to support children's needs and experiences. Children benefit from opportunities to learn new ball skills. For instance, they take part in tennis lessons on the field. The manager ensures that there is always a high number of staff within the setting. This allows staff to work with children individually to offer intervention with speech and language development. Staff receive additional training in special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children, including those with SEND, make excellent progress from their starting points.
• The staff in the setting feel valued and respected. They know that their well-being is a priority and that they are part of an excellent team. The manager supports the staff in their career goals and encourages them to enhance their professional development through additional training. Supervision is common practice in the setting and staff speak highly of the support they receive. Staff are all aware of their training needs and how to enhance their teaching further.