Little Lambs Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are highly engaged in consistently challenging learning opportunities at this welcoming and inclusive pre-school. Children show the rapid progress that they make from their starting points in learning, including those who need extra support with their learning and development. Children who are new to the pre-school eagerly join in with play activities as they arrive. Those who find it more difficult to separate from their parents receive close attention from caring and very attentive staff. This helps them to quickly settle into pre-school routines and activities. The individual needs of all children, including those children who benefit from additional sensory stimulation, are met extremely well.

Children's learning needs are supported exceptionally well due to staff's very close engagement with their parents. Children are further supported by the superb partnerships between staff and other professionals who may be involved in their care. Children understand and respect the differing needs of their friends.

Children's learning is developed even further by the targeted use of additional funding. Parents are extremely well informed about children's learning and the progress that they make. Children use resources from the pre-school at home. They take part in activities beyond their immediate experience. Children, including those who speak another language at home or who have identified learning needs, are exceptionally well prepared for their next stages in learning and for school.

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

• The manager and staff are highly ambitious for children and families. They make continuous improvements and share their exemplary practice with other settings. They further enhance their professional development through accredited schemes. For example, they have successfully achieved the Healthy Early Years London gold award. The manager closely engages staff, children, parents and local advisers in her ongoing evaluation of the pre-school.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is highly effective in her role. Staff confidently implement advice and suggestions from external specialists. Close observations of children's responses, such as very early signs of children's attempts to communicate, help staff to continuously challenge children to reach their full potential. All children benefit from the highly successful methods that staff use to support learning.
• Staff include the views of parents and other professionals in their evaluations and reviews of children's progress. Staff use their frequent and accurate assessments of children's learning and development very effectively. For instance, staff carefully analyse the books, text and labels in the pre-school to extend opportunities for most-able children who show an interest in reading.
• Children's moves on to school are very well planned with the close involvement of parents, new teaching staff and other professionals involved in their care.
• Staff implement a well-thought-out and sequenced curriculum that encourages children to flourish. Children deepen their curiosity and solve problems. Extremely strong teaching practice helps to extend children's learning. Staff skilfully support children who need extra help with their learning to fully engage in exciting learning activities. For instance, children confidently work together to make dough. They count, pour and mix ingredients. Staff encourage them to work out whether more flour or water is needed.
• Staff provide experiences that reflect children's backgrounds and different cultures. They help children to appreciate, respect and value their own, and different, communities. For example, staff encourage children to use descriptive words as they discuss and draw the features and characteristics of important people in children's lives. Parents visit to translate and read familiar stories alongside staff.
• Staff further strengthen children's social and communication development through well-considered garden improvements. Staff encourage children to be gentle as they touch and smell flowers. Children build on their play skills. For instance, they discuss ingredients for 'rainbow soup' and 'snail ice cream' with their friends in a mud kitchen. Staff skilfully modify their language as they hold back-and-forth conversations with children of differing abilities.
• Children behave extremely well and demonstrate very positive social skills. Children show high levels of care and consideration for others. For example, they shuffle along to make space for their friends on rockers. Children benefit from the consistent use of visual aids, sign language and behaviour management strategies.