Little Learners Pre-School Day Care Inc

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children take strong ownership of their learning at this exceptional pre-school. They thrive on the interesting and ambitious curriculum which they are offered. Children make choices about how and what they learn. For example, staff develop the end-of-year show from children's interest in castles and knights. Children practise this production with great enthusiasm, singing confidently and moving round the stage. They create props and use them effectively to help them act. Children are proud of their pre-school. Their parents are very pleased with the support they get to help them learn well.

Toddlers enjoy making music with pans and kitchen utensils. Staff challenge them to make the sounds 'louder' and 'quieter'. They support toddlers to find objects made from different materials and help them explore the different sounds they make. Toddlers roll and climb over large equipment to help to develop their physical skills. Staff know that children are very capable so they plan activities that challenge them. For example, children enjoy learning about some animals of the world and the food they like to eat. They explain their ideas well as they use a digital globe to help them locate different places.

Children's well-being is prioritised. Leaders ensure that the key-person system is responsive and that children are paired with staff which they share the strongest bond with. When children prefer some calm time, special spaces are available for them. When children are reluctant to finish their lunch, staff sit quietly with them and read them stories until they are ready to eat again. This gives children great comfort.

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

• Staff ensure that the curriculum builds on children's skills over time and supports them to be confident learners. Children access the resources that they would like and they use them for sustained and rich play. Older children stay on task for a long time, completely engrossed in their self-chosen activities. Staff monitor children's progress and ensure that they identify their next steps in learning. They give ideas to parents about how they can support their children's learning at home.
• Children play exceptionally well together. They support and negotiate with each other during their construction play. For example, children collaboratively make model aeroplanes and fly them together, making the sounds of the plane in unison as they swoop it around. When it breaks, they decide together how to fix it. Younger children enjoy exciting role-play experiences. They communicate with their friends as they serve pretend afternoon tea to the staff. Children pass each other the clothes to dress dolls with and they help each other put the dolls to sleep. Children support each other to climb and roll over large-play equipment.
• Leaders are highly reflective and unwavering in their pursuit of excellence. They continuously reflect on the provision. Leaders ensure that all staff have the most up-to-date knowledge and skills to give children outstanding care and education. Staff work as a unified team. They share their outstanding practice with each other to aid professional development. For example, staff observe each other in their teaching to share good practice. Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is superb.
• Staff teach children strategies to keep themselves safe. For example, when children are learning to speak, staff encourage them to use picture cards to express what they would like to do and to ask for help. Children visit the local supermarket to buy fruit for smoothies during a healthy eating topic. They advise staff what kind of food they should eat, telling them how they should keep healthy by brushing their teeth and not eating too much sugar.
• Staff teach children through very high-quality interactions. They explain, suggest and challenge children to use words well in their play. This helps children to converse very well with each other and staff around them.
• Parents are extremely happy with the work that the staff in the pre-school do to help their children learn. They appreciate the support offered to them, such as effective strategies for promoting their children's positive behaviour and potty training.
• Adults ensure that children have regular opportunities to visit the local park so that they can go on 'bear hunts' or explore the larger outdoor space. This supports them to develop their gross-motor skills and to navigate uneven terrain. This helps them to manage risk.