Lilliput Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages and abilities are confident and very happy during their time in the inviting and welcoming pre-school. Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of their curriculum, and how they implement this successfully. All staff have high expectations of children's abilities and carefully plan challenging and engaging activities to motivate them to learn. When children have an interest in a story about a gingerbread person, staff encourage them to learn more about this. For example, children look at a recipe book and 'write' down the ingredients to go on to make their own gingerbread. Staff teach children about different concepts as they explore and investigate. For instance, children learn about what items float and sink and confidently talk about what items absorb water.

Staff are positive role models. All children behave well and are polite. They are caring and kind. For example, they help each other to tidy up. Children learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles. For instance, they independently follow thorough health and hygiene routines. Staff support children to gain good physical skills and learn to move in different ways. This is demonstrated when children confidently build and negotiate obstacles, such as balancing on planks of wood and crates, and navigate safely using equipment such as a rope swing.

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

• The manager and staff know all individual children well. They understand what makes children unique and know their preferences. For example, they ensure that children can access outdoor learning opportunities throughout the entire duration of their day if this is where they prefer to learn.
• All staff establish very secure and trusting relationships with children. This helps children to settle quickly into the pre-school and they enjoy the company of staff. Children take pride in their achievements and are proud to show the staff.
• All children have a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff support all children to make good progress. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff work closely alongside other agencies, such as speech and language therapists. They share and implement useful strategies, including visual prompts and timelines.
• Overall, children are engaged in their learning opportunities, and staff interaction is purposeful. However, at times, staff do not place themselves better, to swiftly ensure that all children benefit from their guidance and direction to further engage in an activity.
• The manager and staff establish positive relationships with parents, who speak very highly of them. Parents comment that it is clear that children are staff's main priority. Staff keep parents well informed about their children and what they have been learning and what they will be learning next. They share helpful ideas with parents, such as healthy eating tips.
• The manager understands the importance of providing children with a good link between all settings that they attend. For example, she discusses that she would contact staff there to share children's learning and achievements. However, this is not consistent, and some staff do not have a clear understanding of where children also attend and how to communicate with staff there. Therefore, the highest level of consistency to all children's shared care and learning experiences is not provided.
• The manager closely monitors the quality of care and teaching that staff provide. Staff evaluate together as a team. They reflect daily on what went well and what could be done to further enhance practice. They use their findings to support their future performance.
• Staff attend regular and beneficial training. They have recently learned about the different ways to support children to develop their communication and language skills. They provide resources and activities which help children become confident communicators. As a result, all children are confident to communicate their thoughts, needs and ideas, including those who speak English as an additional language.
• Staff support children to gain a good understanding of other countries from around the world. This includes the languages spoken. For instance, children learn words such as 'hello' in other languages including Kurdish and Albanian.
• The manager and staff use additional funding to support the individual needs of children effectively. For example, they have purchased equipment to help children develop their physical skills and extend their enjoyment of learning outdoors.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide guidance for staff to be more aware of where they would be most effectively situated to engage children in activities even more swiftly
• support staff to have a clearer knowledge about whether children attend another setting and how to build more effective partnerships with staff there.