Little Gems Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and confident at the pre-school. They show that they feel safe in the care of the kind and nurturing staff as they quickly separate from their parents or carers at the door. Children enjoy the activities readily available for them, which help them to develop new skills. For instance, younger children develop confidence as they negotiate crawling through tunnels and using balancing equipment. Older children are curious and play imaginatively as they learn about amphibians and their habitats.

Staff plan and provide activities that engage and motivate children's learning well. Staff know where children are in their development, and they put them at the centre of everything they do. Overall, staff know where children are in their developmental journey, and they are able to talk confidently about the progress they have made since they started.

Children play happily with their friends and clearly enjoy their time they spend at the pre-school. Staff understand and support children's behaviour effectively through the use of praise, positive language and encouragement. Staff successfully support children's developing self-help skills well. For example, younger children are supported to find their own water bottles and older children are taught successfully how to get their outdoor clothing on before playing outside.

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

• The management team works well with the staff to provide a good-quality learning provision for the children. Together, they have daily huddles to talk about the plans for the day and children's development. Staff have regular opportunities for training and have recently benefitted from tuition to improve the delivery of communication and language. However, the ongoing coaching and mentoring of staff is not as effective as it could be to ensure that all staff maintain their roles and follow policies and procedures as required.
• Children demonstrate good behaviour, self-care and social skills. Children are confident and independent, and they show that they are motivated to learn. Staff encourage children of all ages to explore different textures and to be inquisitive as they explore with water, dough and chalk. In addition, children enjoy pretending to hunt for dinosaur eggs as they play imaginatively. Staff understand the importance of completing regular risk assessments to ensure the setting and activities provided are safe and suitable.
• Staff support children well to develop their communication and language skills. They engage them in conversations about their play and ask questions to recall events and experiences. Children hear a range of words through story sessions and singing times, which actively support their listening, attention and speaking skills.
• The management team and staff work well together to transform the halls used into safe and welcoming play spaces for the children. Older children benefit from free access to the outside area throughout their day, where they have fun climbing on apparatus, playing make believe games and hunting for 'frogspawn'. Younger children are taken out daily, where they benefit from fresh air and exercise. However, the environment for the younger children is not as stimulating as other play spaces.
• Staff support children's health and well-being well. For example, they talk to them about the importance of handwashing and they regularly check and change nappies as required. Staff sensitively assist children who need some additional help managing their own self-care needs, such as nose-wiping and changing their clothing when wet. Mealtimes are social occasions where children and staff sit together to enjoy the snacks provided by staff and lunches supplied by parents.
• Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents speak highly of the pre-school staff and the good quality care that they give to their children. They attribute the progress their children have made in their learning and development to the commitment of the staff. Staff have a good awareness of working with other professionals involved in children's care and education to support continuity of care.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review and improve the environment, particularly for the younger children, to create a more inviting atmosphere to support children's choices and spontaneous investigation
• strengthen methods of coaching and mentoring to further enhance and build on the quality of staff practice to even higher levels.