Little Swans

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and settle quickly at this friendly pre-school. They separate from their parents with ease and busy themselves with activities of their choosing. Children dress up as builders and pretend to 'mend' furniture with toy hammers and saws. They make 'breakfast' in the play kitchen. Children share ideas about which foods to put in the oven.

Children are motivated learners. They show confidence in finding their favourite toys. For example, they locate boxes of construction bricks and become engrossed in building their own train carriages. Young children scan bookshelves for best-loved books. They snuggle on sofas and look at each page carefully.

Children have close, trusting relationships with staff. Young children cuddle next to staff to listen to music. Older children involve staff in their play. For example, children invite staff to join in with their imaginary games. Children confidently talk to the inspector, showing that they feel safe in the pre-school. Staff show respect and consideration when taking care of children's personal care routines. When changing nappies, staff talk to children to let them know what is happening and expertly distract them with peekaboo games. This has a positive impact on children's confidence and emotional well-being.

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

• Staff provide a language-rich environment. They consistently engage children in meaningful conversations as they play. Staff ask a range of questions and allow children time to think and respond. They narrate children's play and introduce new words to broaden children's growing vocabulary. For example, staff describe play dough as 'crumbly' and 'smooth'.
• Children are kind and friendly. They greet each other with smiles and spontaneously sing a 'goodbye' song when their friends leave to go home. Older children show patience with toddlers. For example, they gently explain how to use touch screen computers. Children invite each other to play and say, 'Here's a chair for you.' Children show an awareness of routines. They sit nicely at the table during snack time and help to put toys away at tidy-up time.
• Children are supported to develop their fine motor skills. This helps to strengthen their muscles in readiness for writing. Children use rolling pins and cutters to manipulate play dough into a scarecrow. Staff capture children's interest by modelling how to squeeze and poke the play dough. Children are keen to draw pictures to take home. Staff support young children to draw around their hands. They successfully entice children to extend their drawings by showing them how to add more detail.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well.
• Detailed 'play plans' are put in place and shared with parents. The special educational needs coordinator supports staff to deliver timely interventions. As a result, children make good progress from their starting points.
• Children are encouraged to have their own opinions. For example, the pre-school has developed a 'children's committee'. Recently, children voted on how to spend fundraising money. This helps children to feel valued.
• Parents have high regard for the pre-school. They report that staff are 'fantastic' and their children are making good progress. Parents say they feel incredibly lucky that their child attends this pre-school. They appreciate how well the setting keeps them informed.
• Staff feel fully supported in their roles and their morale is high. The manager empowers staff to continually improve their skills and knowledge through training. New online training systems have recently had a positive effect on sharpening staff's skills.
• Children show some independence during snack times. However, occasionally, staff do not support children's independence as well as possible. For example, they step in too quickly to help children with coats and fastenings.
• Staff encourage children to wash their hands with soap. However, hygiene practices are not consistent. For example, staff do not always encourage children to cough into their hands to avoid spreading germs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with further opportunities to allow them to be even more independent
• ensure hygiene practices are consistently promoted throughout the setting.