Little Achievers Preschools (Stoney Stanton) Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at this pre-school, where they receive a warm welcome from the staff. They understand the morning routine and confidently hang up their coats and bags. During the course of the day, staff ensure that children have many opportunities to carry out tasks for themselves. For example, children use safety knives to chop fruit at snack time and wash their plates and cups. This helps children to develop important life skills. Staff encourage and enable children to put on their coats as they offer unhurried and gentle encouragement. Children develop resilience, and even the youngest children persevere with tasks that they find tricky.

Children benefit from a broad and well-sequenced curriculum. Staff support children in making choices in their play and encourage them to further explore their interests. Older children demonstrate kindness and compassion to their younger peers. For example, they ensure that everyone has play dough to use as they play together. Children understand the simple pre-school rules and demonstrate positive learning behaviours. They use good manners and treat each other and the environment with care and respect. Staff encourage children to take responsibility for specific tasks at tidy-up time. They work together in small teams to put resources back where they belong. Children respond positively to staff as they recognise and praise their efforts and achievements.

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

• The passionate and effective leaders have made positive changes to the provision since the previous inspection. They are reflective and have developed a detailed and ambitious curriculum for all children. Leaders support staff to observe children closely and use the information gathered to plan for their individual learning needs. Staff sequence their teaching effectively to build on what children already know and can do. This helps all children to make good progress across all seven areas of learning.
• The key-person approach works effectively. Staff use frequent observations to assess children's development and make plans for the next steps in their learning. Staff liaise with other professionals, such as speech and language specialists, to help support children's needs and progress. Staff regularly share information with parents and involve them effectively in their children's learning.
• Children are keen and active learners. They benefit from carefully planned adult-supported experiences. For example, children work together in small teams following a simple recipe to make play dough. Staff consolidate children's understanding of mathematical concepts. For instance, they ask children to read the numbers on the recipe card and support them to measure and scoop flour and salt. Children cooperate and take turns with their peers. Staff praise their skills in working together.
• Staff choose a book of the month that reflects children's current interests. This helps to foster their engagement in story-telling and supports communication and language development. During group times, staff encourage children to explore resources to extend their understanding of stories. Children become highly engaged in listening, re-telling and acting out familiar tales. This helps to nurture children's early literacy skills.
• Leaders and staff encourage children to make choices and lead their own play. They provide resources and activities that reflect children's interests and fascinations. Children become highly engaged in their self-chosen activities. However, staff sometimes make comments and ask questions that distract children. At times, this interrupts children's focus and learning.
• Children respond positively to staff throughout the day and listen carefully to instructions. Staff support children to understand their expectations as they share simple safety rules. For instance, children learn to stay in pairs as they walk a short distance to the outdoor play space. Older children happily hold hands with their younger peers.
• Children learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Staff plan and implement experiences that engage children in physically challenging play. For example, they teach children new skills such as jumping over low hurdles and catching balls. Staff talk to children at lunchtime about healthy foods and the importance of staying hydrated by regularly helping themselves to water.
• Leaders and staff involve parents in their children's learning. Parents state that they appreciate the extensive learning and development opportunities the staff provide for their children. They say that children make great progress while attending the pre-school. Parents of children who have recently started attending are complimentary about how staff sensitively support their children to settle.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen interactions with children during self-chosen play opportunities to extend learning even further.