Little Glendalers Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this nurturing and inspiring pre-school. Staff serve as excellent, caring role models, and children's behaviour is exemplary. Children are polite and considerate towards their friends, staff and visitors. Staff celebrate children's achievements and offer an abundance of positive praise. For example, when children have made models or completed a painting, children beam with pride as they display their work on the achievement table.

Leaders and staff foster a highly inclusive environment. They work diligently to establish strong connections with children and families. Leaders, staff and parents collaborate to create an ambitious curriculum that prepares children for their transition to school. The pre-school has a superb relationship with the host school. They share curriculum ideas and plans for children. This helps significantly to maintain the continuity in children's learning and development.

Leaders and staff go above and beyond to offer children exciting and engaging learning opportunities that spark their fascination. Interactions are of the highest quality. Staff consistently use open-ended questions to encourage children to solve problems. For example, children enjoy making boats and then move to the water play area to test if their boats will float. They discuss what will happen to materials such as cardboard and plastic. Staff ask children to predict what will happen as they add objects to the boat. They talk to children about the different materials and how water affects them. Staff use key vocabulary such as floating and sinking, heavy and light. Thereafter, children confidently use the vocabulary in their play. They excitedly exclaim, 'My boat is floating,' and 'My boat is all wet and now it's sinking fast'.

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

• Leaders and staff are passionate about the pre-school. They strive for continuous improvement. Staff have an excellent working relationship with each other. They work tirelessly to plan for children's learning. Staff consider each child's needs, interests and abilities.
• Partnerships with parents are exceptional. Parents speak enthusiastically about the pre-school and the incredible range of activities their children enjoy. They describe the 'remarkable' progress their children make and the dedication of the 'truly amazing' team. Staff provide plentiful opportunities for parents to support their child's learning at home. For example, children choose books from a lending library and borrow 'busy' bags to practise skills at home. Leaders actively encourage parents to participate in the pre-school by inviting them to lead story time sessions and attend events.
• Staff have the highest expectations of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff identify any gaps in children's learning and development at an early stage and act promptly to address them. Detailed plans are in place for children to ensure all staff know the strategies to support them. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to ensure all children reach their full potential.
• Children are excellent communicators. Staff model key words to support children in developing a wide vocabulary. They routinely ask open-ended questions and create opportunities for children to develop conversational skills. Staff sing well-known rhymes and songs, encouraging children to retell favourite stories during play. For example, when they use insect stampers in dough, staff prompt children to recall the well-known phrases from the story of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. Staff use sign language or visual cue cards to ensure all children make rapid progress.
• Children's physical development is exceptional. In the creative area, children confidently construct models by cutting ribbon and tape and squeezing glue from containers. They build small-muscle strength by squeezing pipettes and moulding and rolling dough. Children have access to plenty of outdoor space, including a truly inspirational woodland area, where they can climb, balance, jump from wooden structures, shovel and rake sand, use a beater to hit drums and cymbals and become immersed in gardening activities.
• Promoting independence is seamlessly integrated into nursery routines. Consequently, children are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of learning. They begin to recognise their name as they self-register on arrival, and enjoy serving themselves at the snack bar and tidying up afterwards. Staff support children to learn to peel fruit, pour drinks and open yoghurt pots.
• Children have considerable opportunities to learn about and experience the natural world. They explore flowers and recognise the different parts, such as stem and petals. Children learn to grow vegetables, such as potatoes, and observe how they become food over time. They delight in making 'potions' in the garden and exploring the scent of fresh herbs and lavender during sensory play.
• Diversity and cultural differences are widely celebrated in the pre-school. A 'family board' showcases children's backgrounds and sparks discussions about their family lives. Children learn to appreciate what makes them unique. Staff draw on the children's rich cultural diversity and collaborate closely with parents to understand their cultural celebrations. Parents contribute by bringing special foods and other resources to support children's learning.