Little Scallywags Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily leave their caregiver and enter the pre-school eager to start their day. Staff are attentive to all children, but especially to those who need some extra care and attention to become involved in activities. Small groups of children independently select resources of their choice and engage in small-world play. They chatter between themselves, acting out a narrative about pirates and exclaiming, 'A-hah my hearty!' Staff further children's learning and understanding of the world by asking them questions to help extend their thinking skills. For example, they ask children what they think the purpose of an anchor is. Children show their friends kindness and respect as they take turns to contribute their ideas in response.

Children's personal, social and emotional development is given high regard. Staff are effective at helping children understand the range of different feelings they experience. When children show signs of being upset, staff validate these feelings and tell them they are safe at the pre-school. This reassurance quickly comforts children. Children show pride as they look through photos of their families that staff have made available. Through this activity, they identify what makes themselves and their families unique, such as having a pet. Staff strive to help children understand that they are important and are valued.

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

• The management team has addressed the breaches of requirements that were identified at the last inspection. The premises are now fully secure, which means children are kept safe during their time at pre-school. Staff provide fresh drinking water for children each day and encourage children to independently pour themselves a drink when they feel thirsty.
• Staff design a broad and exciting curriculum. They use children's interests to plan and theme activities that they know children will want to become involved in. Staff plan learning across a range of subjects and provide age-appropriate opportunities for children to develop in these areas. For instance, they use children's curiosity in pirates to encourage their mark-making skills through designing treasure maps.
• Staff deploy themselves well throughout the pre-school, which means that all children receive equal, quality interaction. They quickly identify and support children when they start to disengage from their learning. As a result, children's attitudes to their learning remain positive and their focus on meaningful activity is sustained.
• Staff are clear about what they want children to learn. Their targets for children's progress are developmentally- and age-appropriate. However, occasionally, staff present children with too much new learning at once and not enough time to practise a new skill. This can be overwhelming for children and may hinder their ability to confidently and securely build on what they already know and can do.
• The impact of staff's interactions with children is clear. This is seen in children's positive behaviour as they successfully navigate their own play. Staff have taught children how they can ask to join in with others at play, and children use these strategies independent of staff's support. Staff are supporting children to develop the social skills that they need to make friends and get along well with others.
• Staff help children to risk assess their own play by showing them ways of how to stay safe. For example, outside, staff demonstrate to children how they can safely move around the garden space while running, avoiding hazards. This promotes children's physical development and spatial awareness, as well as their personal development.
• The management team places great emphasis on securing positive partnerships with parents and carers. When children enrol, staff invite families into the pre-school for a lengthy discussion about their wishes for their child's education and care. Parents say they found these meetings extremely valuable when their child first started. They comment that they felt listened to, and as a result, they felt safe and secure leaving their child. This effective communication continues throughout children's time at the pre-school. Staff regularly provide parents with updates about their children's care and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently plan and deliver new learning to children in a way that allows them to confidently and securely build on what they already know and can do.