Little Oaks Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Happiness, joy and laughter shine through at this vibrant pre-school. Children bound in, excited to greet staff and their friends. They settle with ease into the stimulating activities that await them. Staff make a concerted effort to get to know each child and their family, which begins with gathering detailed information about them. Home visits allow leaders and staff to learn more about children's home lives and help to build trusting, lasting relationships.

Leaders and staff design a carefully thought out curriculum that introduces children to experiences they may not otherwise encounter, such as seeing a tractor up close and being part of local community events. Furthermore, mealtimes replicate a strong family dynamic, as children sit together and hold interesting conversations with staff. Drawing on information shared by parents, staff initiate topics that spark children's enthusiasm and encourage lively contributions. Even the youngest and newest children impressively demonstrate a true sense of belonging.

Well-established routines help children understand what will happen next and what is expected of them, which in turn readily supports their consistently positive behaviour. Promoting children's independence is a key priority. For example, staff position themselves thoughtfully as children freely choose whether to play indoors or outdoors. This ensures children remain safe, while also feeling respected and valued in the knowledge that their choices really matter.

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

• Committed and knowledgeable leaders show genuine passion and a clear vision to continually enhance the already good quality of education and care. They demonstrate an accurate understanding of children's individual needs and a sharp focus on ways to achieve even better outcomes. For instance, they actively explore ways to strengthen the outdoor curriculum to further enrich children's experiences within the limited space available. Leaders recognise that the area where children ride tricycles, scooters and ride-on cars is not sufficient to fully meet children's physical needs. In response, they provide thoughtful interim solutions, such as regular walks to nearby parks. Across the provision, children remain firmly at the heart of every decision leaders and staff make.
• There is a real sense of community. Leaders are instrumental in taking children's learning beyond the pre-school, where they meet people from all walks of life. For example, children regularly visit a local social club for the elderly to play games and sing songs, which helps to foster meaningful intergenerational relationships. They also enjoy visits to the library at the local secondary school, where students read stories to them, helping to inspire aspirations for the future.
• Leaders effectively target additional funding that some children receive to enhance their learning and development further. Those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from trained staff, who successfully deliver specific interventions to develop children's concentration, focus and language skills. Staff work in partnership with parents and other childcare professionals to ensure that children receive the individual support they need.
• There is a lively atmosphere at the pre-school, where younger children happily mix with older ones. All children play with purpose within an inviting environment and where resources are beautifully presented to enthuse children and increase their creativity and imaginations. Rich learning opportunities encourage exploration and problem-solving. For instance, when children design and decorate their own birthday cakes with play dough, they experiment by cutting paper straws into different lengths and amounts to act as candles. Activities such as these help children develop a broad range of knowledge and skills, which prepares them well for future learning.
• Leaders use children's assessments and staff's observations effectively to shape the curriculum, which places a strong emphasis on developing their communication and language, alongside personal, social and emotional skills. Consequently, children make steady progress, particularly in their language development and social skills. This is strengthened by the priority leaders place on staff training in this area. While the quality of individual staff's interactions are generally purposeful, leaders do not consistently monitor these interactions robustly enough, to ensure the very highest standards of teaching. Consequently, at times, children do not always make the best possible progress.
• Leaders and staff place great importance on building strong, positive relationships with parents, which are highly valued by families. Feedback from parents is overwhelmingly complimentary. They especially appreciate the guidance staff provide to support them to develop children's self-care skills at home, such as toilet training. This joint way of working proves successful in helping children meet their milestones.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the existing procedures for monitoring and coaching staff to further improve their individual practice and deliver the curriculum in a more step-by-step way, to consistently challenge children's thinking and learning to the fullest.