Little Bird's Nest Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children exude confidence and are self-assured. They benefit greatly from the close relationships they have with staff. Staff arrive early each day and set up the hall, in readiness for children's arrival. Children enter and quickly involve themselves in play and exploration. They are keen and eager learners. Children's laughter permeates the small and welcoming pre-school. They explore the carefully chosen and captivating activities, that support them to develop their skills and knowledge.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children behave well. They know what is expected of them and follow the pre-school's rules. Children stop when they hear the bell jingle. They eagerly anticipate a change in routine. Children have a strong sense of belonging and are emotionally secure and content. They share and take turns, and are positive role models themselves. For example, older children kindly remind younger children to wait in line. Children use good manners and listen to what staff say to them.

Children delight in exploring the outdoor environment. They use binoculars and peer into the bushes hunting for 'a tiger', during pretend play. Children demonstrate early mathematical awareness. They correctly use mathematical language, such as 'heavy', 'full' and 'empty', during an enjoyable water-play session. Children excitedly fill containers and jump out of the way when the water spills out of the water tray.

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

• Children's communication and language skills are developing well. They talk about the features of their environment. For example, children articulately tell the group about the area they live in. During the conversation children share their own experiences. They discuss their local community and where they are from. Staff encourage this conversation and children share that they will soon move house. They delight in telling the group about the new area they are moving to.
• Staff prioritise children's emotional well-being. Staff help children to learn positive behaviours and to understand their emotions. Children are kind and considerate of others. They tell their friends, they can use the binoculars next. Staff and children enjoy relaxing yoga and well-being sessions. Children stretch their bodies into animal shapes. Staff use incense burners to support the calming strategies and techniques that children are taught.
• Children develop awareness of healthy lifestyles. They particularly enjoy a toothbrushing session. Children vigorously clean marks off 'teeth', until they are shiny and white. Children are aware to make good food choices. They enthusiastically talk about eating healthy foods, such as broccoli and carrots, in place of unhealthy options, such as sweets.
• Staff ensure that everyone is included. They use visual prompts and real items as an aid to indicate a change in routine. Staff take account of children's individual needs and preferences. For example, they dim the lights to help children to focus more easily. However, at times, staff do not support children's understanding of their own identity and sense of self. This does not help children to develop highly positive attitudes about themselves, or identify similarities and differences between themselves and others.
• Overall, children have positive attitudes to learning. They benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum, which is designed to build on what children know and can do while taking account of their interests. However, staff do not always adapt their teaching practice to ensure that all children are fully engaged. For example, some children easily know the answers to questions and confidently shout these out when asked. At times, less confident children do not have an opportunity to answer. Staff do not always deliver activities that meet children's individual needs, so they are all supported to make the very best progress possible.
• Partnership with parents is excellent. Parents comments are positive. They value the pre-school and staff, who they describe as being like a family. Parents say the progress children are making is due to the staff. Parents are updated and involved in their children's learning and development. Staff share ideas for parents to do at home. These include, how to strengthen children's pincer grip, in readiness for holding a pencil and early writing.
• The manager works alongside the staff and has a good overview of the setting. Staff receive supervision meetings from the manager and attend mandatory training, such as in paediatric first aid and safeguarding. However, the support for staff currently focuses on required training and training for the whole team. Staff do not yet received incisive feedback on their own practice, to help to raise the quality of education to the highest level.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive meaningful and targeted supported. Staff work closely external professionals to ensure that consistent support is implemented. Funding is used well to ensure that children who need a little more help, receive the support they are entitled to. For example, funding has been used for extra sessions. Resources have been purchased, such as sensory items and calming bags, to use on arrival. This has successfully helped to smooth the transition into the pre-school. This helps all children to make good progress from when they start.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus more precisely on staff development and training and provide staff with incisive feedback, to strengthen the quality of education to a consistently high level
• enhance ways to support children's sense of identity and prepare them further for life in modern Britain.