Little Jewels Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted by welcoming, happy staff as soon as they arrive at this pre-school. The manager plans a well-balanced curriculum. Children enjoy learning from a range of activities and sensory play.

The manager's effective and flexible settling-in procedure allows new children to separate appropriately from their parents. Children are happy and explore freely. Staff model positive interactions as they play with children. They praise children and encourage them to take turns and share. Children benefit from extra-curricular drama sessions. They develop confidence to stand up, speak and sing in front of their friends. Mealtimes are sociable occasions. Staff sit with children and engage them in conversations about healthy eating. Children enjoy a variety of nutritious meals, which include ingredients such as rice, vegetables, lentils and salads.

Children experience excellent opportunities to build good stamina and physical skills. Staff challenge children outdoors with games involving jogging and running. Children develop good coordination, control and core strength. Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. For example, they encourage children to roll hoops and support them to mount the climbing wall. Children quickly learn the difference between unacceptable and acceptable behaviour. Staff intervene appropriately when younger children have minor disputes. They offer age-appropriate explanations in the moment. Therefore, children's disagreements are short lived and resolved appropriately.

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

• The curriculum is broad, balanced and well sequenced. For example, on the day of the inspection, children were highly engaged in a toothbrushing activity. This was one of a variety of activities planned to promote their understanding of the importance of caring for their teeth and gums. The manager had arranged for a dentist to visit the children the following day, to embed and expand on what children have learned.
• Staff are committed to developing children's independence and self-care skills. They habitually stand back and allow children to wear their own coats and attempt their fastenings. Children enjoy having responsibilities, such as handing out cups and plates at lunchtimes. They competently serve their own meal portions, and babies drink from open cups.
• Staff make good use of opportunities to build older babies' language skills. They clearly repeat and emphasise words during their interactions. For example, babies become familiar with words such as 'rough' and 'fuzzy', because staff say these words as they encourage them to explore sensory books. Older children concentrate well as they learn to form letters for early writing.
• Leaders promote children's early literacy effectively. Across the pre-school, staff read enthusiastically to children. Children listen attentively and enjoy commenting on the events. They routinely take books home to share with their parents. This provides further opportunities for children to embed the language of story and learn to recall events.
• Children have positive relationships with staff. Staff are empathetic and sensitive. Children confidently approach them for cuddles and reassurance. However, there are inconsistencies in the provision for children who speak English as an additional language. Not all children have sufficient opportunities to use their home language in their play at the setting. Staff gather and use key words in some children's home languages and not others. Therefore, individual children's interactions are unnecessarily limited to gesturing in order to communicate their needs and preferences.
• Parent partnerships are positive. Parents feel that their children are well cared for at the nursery. They say that staff provide detailed and helpful feedback regarding their children's routines and learning. Parents describe staff as 'approachable and supportive'.
• Staff have clear roles and responsibilities. Several staff members have progressed to lead roles, which give them additional responsibility to address identified areas for improvement. For example, staff have reorganised the routines for children's outdoor play. This has reduced noise levels indoors. As a result, children play and learn in a calm environment.
• The manager is an experienced leader. She monitors staff and ensures they receive good support to carry out their roles. Staff comment that their well-being is prioritised by leaders. They say that they are valued as a team and receive rewards and incentives in recognition of their work achievements.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• increase opportunities for individual children who speak English as additional language to use their home language in the setting so their interactions with others are not unnecessarily limited.