Little Wakering Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The dedicated managers and team of happy, caring, and nurturing staff welcome children into an exciting play environment that captures their interests and curiosity. Children quickly settle and become absorbed in their play. The ambitious and challenging curriculum is carefully designed to ensure all children's needs are met and provide them with good quality learning opportunities. Spontaneous play is effectively promoted as all staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how children learn. Children's interests in the moment and activities designed around a favourite book of the week, mean children are keen and eager to learn and try new things.

The team invest time getting to know the children and their family before they attend. Parents welcome home visits that are offered before children attend. This supports a positive and seamless transition from home to pre-school. Children are very settled, confident and have established strong bonds with the staff. The staff are attentive and skilful in their interactions and offers of help. Staff speak with genuine kindness and are respectful of the children, listening to what they have to say and supporting their choices. Children relish their time in the outdoor play space and can flow freely from indoors to the garden. Throughout the day there is a calm and happy atmosphere. Staff are good role models. Children make friendships and ask their friends to join in their games. Their behaviour is very good.

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

• The quality of teaching is good. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make very good progress from their starting points. Staff have a secure knowledge of how to provide children with an exciting curriculum that captures their interest and inspires them to learn while having fun. Good observations made and an understanding of how children learn means early intervention is sought for those who may need extra support.
• The team understand the positive impact working in partnership with parents has on outcomes for children. They invest time and are committed to support not only the child but the whole family. Effective partnerships are also in place with other agencies involved with the children, other early years settings children may attend and the local schools. This ensures children receive the best continuity of care and aides a smooth transition for successful future learning.
• A sharp focus is given to support children's well-being. Stories and activities help children learn how to express their feelings and emotions and regulate their behaviour. They have fun making 'feelings' potions. They show sustained concentration as they scoop a variety of mixtures to make a friendship potion. As they play they learn new words to express how they feel.
• Children make good progress in their speech and language development. Quality interaction and use of language modelled by the staff mean children learn new words to extend their vocabulary, such as tangy and sour when they offer staff lemon soup they make. They thoroughly enjoy spontaneous singing and stories and demonstrate good listening skills.
• Parents speak highly of the staff team and the opportunities offered to their children. They express their complete satisfaction and say staff go 'above and beyond' their expectations. They welcome the home visits and feel supported. They comment the staff are professional and appreciate how welcome they feel and involved in their children's learning.
• Staff work well as a team. Managers ensure their staff welfare is fully considered and value their individual skills and contributions. The staff comment that their own professional development is supported and they enjoy their time at work. Staff retention is good which has a positive impact for the children.
• Children learn the importance of staying safe and healthy. They enjoy a variety of fruits for snack. They learn to take safe risk carefully guided by staff as they cut and slice fruits. They relish their time outdoors and make choices as to where they play. They independently put their boots on and enjoy the fresh air, and freedom in the well-equipped garden. Children make an obstacle courses and negotiate space and balance well using the equipment.
• Children are supported with their ideas and to initiate their own play. They access quality resources from easily accessible units. Children are busy and mostly engaged in their play. However, they are not always encouraged to develop a deep understanding of how to take care of the things that they use, such as resources, including books, when they have finished with these.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help children to understand how to take more care of their environment and resources, particularly when they are leading their own play.