Low Fell Community Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and parents receive a warm welcome when they arrive at this lovely pre-school. They settle quickly, including those children who are new to the pre-school. Staff are kind, nurturing and reassuring. Children develop independence when they learn where to hang their coats and bags before joining their friends. Children enjoy developing their physical skills by playing in the garden. They use balance bikes and ride-on toys as well as having space to run and jump. Children happily splash in puddles, walk along a tyre-assault course, and roll hoops to their friends. This helps to develop their balance, spatial awareness and coordination.

Staff have a good understanding of each child's learning needs and adapt activities to support them to make good progress. For example, toddlers enjoy splashing in water and older children manipulate dough. Staff talk to children and ask them questions to extend their vocabulary. They use words such as 'squash, roll' and 'splash'. This helps children to develop their vocabulary and learn through their different senses. All children in the pre-school demonstrate positive behaviour. Staff have high expectations and are clear about what behaviour is expected. Children feel comfortable, safe and secure with staff and have good bonds with them.

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

• Children develop a love of books. They look forward to taking home new library books each week. Children listen intently to stories, such as 'The Three Little Pigs'. Staff make the stories exciting and interesting by introducing puppets and changing their voices for each character. This helps to develop children's early literacy skills.
• Staff take opportunities as they arise in daily activities to enhance children's development. For example, as children stack pegs, staff encourage them to count how many they have added. With staff support, children count to 40. Children then attempt to write numbers. This helps to develop children's understanding of numbers and counting.
• Support for children's communication is good. Staff narrate as children play and introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary. Children delight in singing songs and joining in with actions. Staff ask age-appropriate questions during play and allow children time to think before they respond. Children who speak English as an additional language have opportunities to hear and use their home language. This helps to develop children's speaking and listening skills.
• Children access a wide range of resources that match their interests and stages of development. They engage well in their play and show a positive attitude towards learning. For example, toddlers enjoy investigating paint and glitter. Older children explore the home corner, dressing up and becoming different characters. This helps to develop children's creativity and imagination.
• Staff are positive role models. They encourage children to take turns and share toys. Children are polite and they use please and thank you when interacting with others. This helps to reinforce positive, respectful behaviour throughout the nursery.
• Overall, partnerships with parents are strong. Staff communicate daily about the types of activities that children do, while at the pre-school. However, staff miss opportunities to share their curriculum and children's individual next steps with parents, to help them continue their children's learning at home.
• The well-being of staff is a priority for the manager. Staff say that they are very well supported. Staff attend regular team meetings and receive essential training in safeguarding and first aid. However, individual supervision meetings and professional development opportunities offered to staff are not always sharply focused to raise the quality of education to an even higher level.
• Staff provide a healthy snack and encourage children to eat a nutritious lunch. Children learn to be independent as staff encourage them to wash their hands and use the toilet independently.
• Children learn about those who help them in the community. For example, staff organise visits from the local police and fire brigade. Children have opportunities to learn about other cultures and celebrations, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. This helps to develop children's understanding of the world around them.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Staff are nurturing and very responsive to children's individual needs. Staff work closely with other professionals and the local authority to support children with SEND to make the best possible progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend the information provided to parents and carers regarding children's next steps in learning, to help enhance their children's learning even further at home
• develop further the programme for staff's individual supervision meetings and professional development, in order to increase their skills and develop the quality of education to an even higher level.