Little Explorers Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the setting with huge smiles on their faces. They leave their parents happily at the door and are greeted by staff. Children regularly reach out to staff for cuddles throughout the day. This demonstrates how safe and secure they feel. The curriculum is varied. Children enjoy sensory experiences, such as sand play. The staff talk to the children about size and children enjoy filling and emptying the containers. Children also enjoy planting a range of seeds. Staff scaffold children's learning well as they talk to the children about what the seeds need to grow. All children make good progress in their learning.

Staff are kind and nurturing towards the children. This helps children to build lasting relationships with the staff who care for them. Children use their imagination as they feed, change, and dress the babies in the home corner. They have lots of opportunities to practise a range of physical skills. This includes learning how to catch a ball and climbing up the different play equipment. Staff place a focus on supporting children to learn how they can self-regulate. They actively talk to the children about their emotions and feelings. Staff remind children of the rules. Children generally behave well.

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

• Leaders are passionate. They are keen for children to leave their setting ready for the next stage of their learning. Leaders work well in partnership with others. This helps to keep children safe and to ensure that children have their individual needs met.
• Leaders have developed a rich curriculum, which covers all areas of learning. Staff plan activities with clear intentions to build on what children know and can do over time. However, the organisation of large-group activities needs to be strengthened. During circle time, staff often request that children sit and pay attention for considerable periods of time. Consequently, most children end up losing concentration and this then distracts their peers. This does not fully maximise all children's learning.
• Leaders place focus on supporting children's communication and language development. Staff screen children's language when they first start attending. They read stories with lots of expression and very clearly. However, there are occasions when staff do not consistently model language to children as they free play. This does not fully promote children's speech development.
• Staff gather key information about the children. They then routinely observe and assess children's development. Staff use this information to help to identify any gaps in children's learning. Where concerns are raised about a child's development, staff make swift referrals. They continue to work alongside others to develop plans and targets for children to achieve. This helps to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the specialist help they require.
• Parents and carers speak highly of the staff. They state that their children are happy and settled. Parents add that they can see the progress that their child has made in their learning. Staff keep parents well informed about their child's development. They offer parents lots of ideas for how they can enhance their child's learning at home.
• Staff speak positively about leaders. They state that they know they can seek leaders' support whenever they need it. Leaders routinely observe and monitor staff practice. They use this to have discussions with staff about their practice, training needs, and ongoing suitability.
• Staff place focus on supporting children's personal development. They are very responsive to the children. Staff immediately recognise and respond to children when they require changing. They also provide lots of opportunities for children to build on their independence. Children regularly help themselves to water. They assist with dressing and nappy changes well.
• Staff immediately go over to support children to deal with any conflicts that arise. They talk to the children about their actions and how they affects others. This helps children to start to understand right from wrong.
• Staff plan a range of celebrations and festivals throughout the year. They use them to talk to the children about what makes them and others unique. This helps to prepare children for life in modern Britain.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• organise large-group times better, with an aim to support children to develop high levels of engagement and maximise all children's learning
• support staff to consistently model language to children as they play, with an aim to enhance children's speech.