Little Badgers Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children attending the pre-school demonstrate that they are happy and feel safe. They enter the pre-school with confidence after being warmly welcomed by staff. Children play and explore with ease. They make their own decisions in play and clearly enjoy what is on offer. Overall, staff place a good focus on supporting children's communication and language development. All children, including those with additional funding, are very well supported by staff.

Children have daily access to the outdoor areas. Outside, they show excitement as they feel and explore the different textures, such as mud, wooden logs and leaves, sand and water. Children of all ages are seen concentrating well as they explore with tools, dig and fill containers and create 'mud muffins'. These learning opportunities help to strengthen their imagination and small physical skills, which in turn supports their early writing skills. Children benefit from a wide range of opportunities and experiences that help to broaden their knowledge and skills. Staff plan and talk to them about various topics to build on what they already know. For instance, as part of their eco ethos, children help make compost by recycling their food waste, and then use it to grow peas and create a wormery.

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

• Managers and staff work well together to create an exciting and child-friendly environment for the children. Staff support children's love of outside learning and successfully build on what they already know about the world. For example, the children become inquisitive as they hunt for bugs and learn about habitats of animals and what they need to live.
• Managers and staff know the children in their care well. They have an effective approach to identifying and supporting children's needs. This includes working with parents and professionals as required. Overall, staff target children's learning well, which helps them to prevent the risk of children falling behind. However, at times, some staff do not ensure that the younger children are as fully engaged and supported as the older children, to help them benefit from the learning opportunities.
• Staff help children to learn words and build on their vocabulary well at the pre-school and at home. For example, they sing and read books to children and encourage parents to borrow story sacks from the lending library. Staff talk to and engage purposefully with children. Together they enjoy games, which helps children to use their spoken language well. For instance, as they play hide and seek, children and staff talk to each other about where would be a good hiding place. However, at times, staff do not give children sufficient time to think and respond to questions.
• Children's health and independence are promoted well. For example, children wash their hands self-sufficiently and all ages manage to get ready for outside play with minimal support. This promotes children's self-care skills in preparation for school.
• Children behave well and enjoy each other's company. For example, they are heard giggling and chattering together as they enjoy popping bubbles and when playing imaginative games. Children are keen to assist staff and are seen helping to get the tables ready for lunch and sweeping the floor. Staff give children regular praise and encouragement, which supports children's self-confidence skills well.
• Staff have developed strong partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly of staff and the curriculum they provide. They comment that their children have 'flourished throughout, while being at the pre-school', that staff are 'brilliant and provide the best care' and their 'children are happy and safe'. Others explained that they 'couldn't be any happier with the pre-school'.
• Staff comment that they are well supported and that they feel very much part of the team. Staff benefit from yearly appraisals and training opportunities to extend their knowledge and skills. The management team are positive and clearly committed to enhancing the quality of education for all children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make the most of existing opportunities to fully promote opportunities to help develop children's thinking and problem-solving skills
• monitor staff practice more closely so that support and guidance for staff can focus more precisely on raising the quality of the curriculum and teaching.