Little Bears Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children confidently separate from their parents/carers and eagerly enter the pre-school. They find their friends and are quick to engage in their play, showing a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff welcome the children warmly, showing they know the children well as they have conversations with them about their family lives. Children show they have formed secure attachments with staff and feel safe and secure. Children join in with group times and are confident to tell their friends what they would like to do, such as washing the babies and making play dough.

The manager knows the skills and knowledge she wants the children to gain in readiness for school. Most children make good progress, including those children who learn English as an additional language and those who receive additional funding. Staff are quick to seek additional support for those children who may be behind in their development. However, at times, the curriculum does not focus on the key areas some children need to learn next to help close any gaps in learning even more quickly.

Children recall prior learning as staff encourage them to talk about previous activities, showing they have consolidated what they have learned. Children talk about when they planted strawberries and proudly remember that plants need water and sun to grow.

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

• Children's behaviour is good. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, staff identified that children were struggling to share and take turns. They have introduced lots of ways to help children learn these skills. For example, during a 'silly soup' activity, children wait patiently for their turn to choose an object to stir into the soup. Staff acknowledge and praise the children's achievements, helping them understand their positive behaviour. This boosts children's self-confidence and esteem.
• Parents and carers express how happy they are with the progress their children are making at pre-school. They say that their children have made particularly good progress in speech and language and in their social skills with other children, which they were behind in following the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents and carers know what their children need to learn next and are pleased with any specialist support staff have sought for their children to help them catch up.
• The manager can monitor staff's practice and identify strengths and areas for improvement. However, this has not been fully effective in identifying weaknesses in how well staff implement the curriculum for children's early mathematical skills. Therefore, the manager has not provided further training to improve this area of practice.
• Staff support children's communication and language effectively, including for those who learn English as an additional language. Staff use effective methods to support children who are less confident speakers. Staff engage children in lively conversations, and they encourage children to recall stories and suggest alternative endings. Children regularly join in singing songs at group times to further support their language.
• The manager uses additional funding well to target support for children. She has had visitors teach the children yoga techniques to help them feel calm and invested in books for children to share to help them understand their feelings. This has helped children learn to manage their emotions.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to be outside and in the fresh air. They develop their balancing skills and coordination and negotiate space well. Staff take the children to the conservation area for more active play, such as running around. Children learn the importance of keeping themselves healthy, knowing they need to wear hats and put on sun cream when it is sunny outside.
• The manager has clear priorities for improvement. She plans to set up a lending library to encourage parents to read and play games with their children. She intends for this to further encourage parents to support children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• place more focus on what children need to learn next when implementing the curriculum, including for those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to help them make the best possible progress
• train staff to place a stronger focus on supporting children's early mathematical skills during activities and routines.