Little Learners Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Friendly, nurturing staff support children in settling and enjoying their time at this pre-school. Staff take care to understand each child, noting their interests and the way in which they like to play. This enables them to offer children pertinent support and activities that capture their attention. Staff demonstrate their enthusiastic, optimistic attitudes. Children respond to this and are positive and confident in their approach to established and new activities. For example, children become absorbed as they concentrate on choosing craft items to decorate Christmas picture frames. Staff recognise children's efforts and offer lots of praise, encouraging children to persevere and building their belief in their own abilities.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and act as good role models. Children reflect this and are kind and considerate. For example, children playing at the role-play 'hot chocolate' station notice when others need spoons and pass these to them. Sensitive support from staff aids children in settling minor disputes independently. Diligent staff ensure that all areas of the pre-school are safe for children to use. They support children well in understanding how to keep themselves safe. For instance, children using ride-on toys understand they need to be careful of others and allow plenty of space for one another.

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

• All staff demonstrate a genuine enjoyment of their work and are committed to playing an active role in developing the pre-school further. Staff receive effective induction training and practical supervision. This helps to ensure that all are clear about the pre-school's policies and consistently implement these, promoting children's health and welfare.
• Staff fully understand the pre-school's practical curriculum. They know what children are learning and offer them further play opportunities that build logically on this and support all children in making good progress. Practical monitoring supports staff in checking children's progress and enables them to address any weaker areas. Staff use additional funding effectively to further promote children's learning.
• Children show a great enjoyment of books and stories. Staff read with animation, maintaining children's attention. They make good use of group story times to teach children new vocabulary. For example, younger children feel the textures in a book and eagerly use the words 'prickly', 'sparkly' and 'shiny'.
• Staff make good use of children's interests to promote their development. For example, children enjoy working in 'Santa's toy shop'. They choose and wrap items, carefully filling bags and handing these out. They use their good language skills to describe this process and the items they have wrapped.
• Children participate in planned activities that help to reinforce their learning. For instance, children play with farm animals, sing associated songs and look at relevant books. They then visit a farm and use their knowledge to name the animals and talk about them.
• Children have many opportunities that help them to understand and feel part of their community. For example, they visit the nearby playing field and observe local schools' sports days. Their interest in the wider world and their understanding of diversity is developed through activities, such as sharing information about family events and celebrating national and international festivals.
• Staff know the children well and usually use their good teaching skills to encourage them to think further. However, on occasion, staff do not always fully support children to build on their spontaneous play and learning and so extend their development to the optimum.
• Staff support children to gain some understanding of healthy practices. For example, they explain why it is important not to put a small serving spoon into their mouths as other children are going to use this. However, this is not consistent and staff do not support children as much as possible in understanding healthy lifestyle practices.
• Parents speak highly of the pre-school and report how much their children enjoy attending. They note the good progress their children make, for example, in speech and language skills. Staff communicate well with parents and support them in building on children's learning. For instance, they lend books and resources to use at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop their teaching skills further so that they adapt their practice to extend each child's learning to the maximum
• extend the opportunities that support children in developing an understanding of healthy lifestyle practices.