Little Gems Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), quickly develop a positive sense of well-being at this pre-school. Staff are caring and enthusiastic. They greet children warmly when they arrive and welcome them inside. Children develop secure relationships with staff that contribute to their confidence. During story times, children listen intently and show delight when staff praise them for pointing out things they see in the pictures. With staff's encouragement, children explore textures such as sand. Staff show children how to press sand into a bucket and quickly turn it over to create a sandcastle. Staff talk to children to help them learn about how to develop a healthy lifestyle. For example, children are eager to join in with discussions and songs before they brush their teeth.

Staff reflect on the curriculum and each child's next steps in learning when they plan and evaluate activities. Children benefit from how staff adapt the planning to acknowledge children's interests and extend their understanding. When children are keen to take part in boisterous play, staff plan activities that link to children's favourite superheroes. This enhances children's learning about positive and co-operative play. The caring and supportive approach from staff helps children form friendships at pre-school. Children help their friends put an apron on for craft activities and share the craft materials.

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

• Leaders are professional and well organised. They work effectively with the knowledgeable staff team, and as a result, children's needs are continually met. Staff have a reflective approach to their work. The introduction of focused small-group activities has had a positive impact on children's learning. Staff attend training that helps them take on specific roles to support children during small-group sessions. This training covers communication and language development, mathematics, literacy and sustainability.
• Staff know the children well; they understand where each child is in their development and take account of this when planning activities. This helps ensure that all children can take part in a purposeful way. Staff deliver a curriculum that is sequenced to incorporate children's interests, as well as including opportunities for children to widen their knowledge and experiences to help them prepare for starting school.
• Staff help children learn about nature through a wide range of connected activities. Staff carefully explain to children about how flowers grow; they use pictures and discussion to develop children's understanding about how things grow, change and decay. Children know the seedlings they plant need sun and water; they look at the details of flowers before drawing and painting them.
• Staff talk to children about the colours and how the leaves and petals feel.
• Overall, staff support children's developing communication and language skills well. Staff encourage children to talk as they play and explore. Children use their growing vocabulary to talk about what they have learned. For example, they explain ants eat leaves and bark, and live in a nest like a bird. Sometimes, staff speak very quickly to children and give them too much information at any one time. This results in some children not knowing how to respond or join with the conversation.
• Staff talk to children and use pictures and stories to help them recognise and manage their feelings. Staff are good role models for children. They are calm, consistent and help children to understand about the happy or sad choices they make. Staff have a positive and consistent approach to support children with their behaviour. Consequently, children listen to staff, and they know what is expected of them.
• Staff take account of each child's level of confidence to support them to develop a positive sense of well-being and belonging at pre-school. Staff are effective in reassuring children who begin to get upset and distract them so they can return to their play. Staff encourage children to be independent in choosing what they want to do and in managing their self-care.
• Effective, ongoing communication with parents contributes to children having a consistent approach to their care and learning. Staff provide parents with daily personalised feedback about how their child has been and what they have been doing. Staff share ways that parents can continue their child's learning at home through suggestions for activities and lending books and resources. Parents say how the staff are supportive of them and their children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's interactions to help them promote and encourage children's conversational skills during play and activities.