Little Fingers Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are very comfortable entering this warm and inviting pre-school. They separate from parents happily and are greeted by the friendly staff. Children form strong bonds with staff and approach them with ease. Staff know the children very well and have an effective key-person system. Children know who their key person is and which key-person group they are a part of, giving them a sense of belonging. They are safe and secure inside pre-school as well as in the outside space. Overall, children behave well. They interact with each other and show respect towards their peers and staff alike.

Staff identify areas for development impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They focus on providing opportunities for children to play and explore, while developing their speech and language. Children are given many opportunities to socialise with each other. In the home corner, staff encourage them to measure out ingredients, such as flour and oats. Staff ask children lots of questions and promote good communication and language. Children form strong relationships with each other and make friends. Staff offer opportunities for children to explore and play, both inside and in the fully enclosed outside space.

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

• Staff identify a curriculum aim as wanting children to have a love of books. They believe this to be fundamental to children's speech and language development. Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about the world around them that spark conversations. For example, children dig for bugs in the outside bug corner. They are asked questions by staff and match the bugs to pictures in the books. This helps children to understand how they can begin to use books to find information.
• Staff give children opportunities to use their imagination through play. For example, children eagerly explore and interact as they re-enact scenarios from home. Staff encourage them to learn to play together. Staff help children to develop their physical skills. For instance, children develop their large-muscle skills as they climb and develop their small-muscle skills as they use their fingers to paint.
• Staff have high expectations for children. However, on occasions, they do not reinforce these to help children understand what is expected. For example, staff ring the bell to tidy up, but do not encourage children to respond to this signal. This means that, at times, children do not have a secure understanding of some rules and boundaries.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. For example, they use strategies such as sign language to communicate with them. However, on occasion, staff are not fully effective in using these strategies and interacting with children who are new, to help them settle swiftly and engage in learning.
• Staff feel fully supported by management and the committee. They can approach any member of the committee with ideas to improve the pre-school. They are a small, friendly team who support each other's well-being. Staff attend fortnightly meetings to discuss children, safeguarding concerns and training. They attend supervision meetings with management and feel comfortable approaching them at any time.
• Staff attend regular training, such as online or face to face. For example, they have recently completed training on mental health. This is helping them to ensure they use every opportunity to extend their knowledge and personal development further. This supports children's emotional development in helping to identify mental health concerns and challenges. Staff training provides them with strategies to deal with this.
• Parents are very complimentary about staff and are full of praise for the pre-school. They comment on how staff provide a supportive settling-in process. Parents state they receive regular feedback about their children's progress through an online assessment tool. They compliment staff on effectively supporting children with SEND. Parents state children are very happy being at the pre-school and that they 'love Little Fingers'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• implement a more consistent approach to help children understand expectations for behaviour
• support staff to use strategies more successfully to help children who are new settle and engage in learning.