Little Panda's Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive confidently and are greeted by friendly staff who know them well. They demonstrate high levels of confidence as they approach visitors and talk about what they enjoy at nursery. Children show great pride in their achievements. When they recognise numbers to 10, they pat themselves on the back and say, '1,2,3 well done me!' Children are confident in their own abilities and are self-assured.

Children have developed strong attachments to the staff and each other. They play cooperatively and demonstrate caring behaviours. They talk about how they will practise their new balancing tricks outside, as they do not want to hurt anyone inside. Children reflect on how characters from books may be feeling. They show great compassion as they discuss that the little red hen in the story may be feeling sad.

Children show positive attitudes towards their learning and play. Younger children enjoy rolling and squeezing dough as they create the 'gingerbread man'. Older children explore with paints to create a picture of the pig from a story. They stand back and admire their finished picture and beam as staff praise them. Children recall things they have learned. For example, they know the sound their name begins with. Children make good progress in their learning.

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

• Parents feel well informed about what their children are learning. They state that communication from staff is excellent, and they appreciate the daily updates they receive about their children's routines and activities. Parents state that their children 'love it here'. Partnerships with parents are effective.
• Staff feel supported in their roles. They have access to regular training opportunities and support from the enthusiastic manager. However, this support does not focus precisely on the individual development needs of staff. This means that professional development is not targeted effectively enough to raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level.
• Staff know the children well and are clear about the skills and knowledge they want children to gain. However, when carrying out planned activities, staff do not adapt their teaching in response to what children are showing them about their current interests. For example, when children begin to use resources for purposes other than what the staff intend, staff continue to encourage children to access the planned activity. Consequently, some children lose concentration.
• Staff regularly read stories to children. Children know a range of familiar stories and talk about what happens in their favourite books. Children eagerly attempt to make characters from a story in the dough area. When staff finish reading stories to older children, they ask, 'can we do it one more time, please?' Children are developing a love of books.
• Children are provided with opportunities to develop their mathematical knowledge. Staff spontaneously count as they play alongside children. Older children have opportunities to use their knowledge of numbers in their everyday routines. They recognise numbers on the calendar and count how many children are at nursery that day. Children are developing an understanding of number in a fun way.
• Children are extremely independent. On entering the nursery, all children find their own peg and hang up their coats and belongings. During meal routines, children pour their own drinks and place their bowls away in the sink when they have finished. Children independently find the tissues to wipe their own noses and then wash their hands. Children's self-help skills are well supported.
• Children are developing many skills required in readiness for school. They follow routines and respond to instructions from staff. Children are encouraged to meet their own toileting needs throughout the day. They have many opportunities to develop their small hand muscles in readiness for later writing, as they shake instruments and scoop up sand. Children make marks on their drawings to identify them as their own, later beginning to write recognisable letters. Children are provided with knowledge and skills in readiness for their eventual transition to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide staff with more targeted performance feedback to raise the quality of their teaching to the highest level
• focus on what observations show about children's interests so that teaching can be adapted to support children's levels of engagement and to ensure they make optimum progress.