Loxwood Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly greet children into this nurturing and caring pre-school. They place a strong focus on children's personal, social and emotional development from the start. Staff build strong and trusting relationships with children, offering them lots of cuddles and reassurance. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children smile as they see familiar faces. They delight in playing games with their friends, showing a sense of belonging.

Staff plan a range of activities and experiences that spark children's interests and curiosity. For instance, children explore mixing colours to create different shades. They giggle as they enjoy the feeling of the paint on their fingers. Staff challenge children's learning by asking questions, such as how they can change the overall colour. Staff adapt activities to consider the age and abilities of children taking part. This supports all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make good progress.

Staff are good role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. They remind children of the key rules, such as being kind to others and walking when indoors. On the occasions when children struggle with their behaviour, staff take time to help them regulate their emotions. This helps children to understand what is expected of them, influencing their positive behaviour.

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

• Leaders have worked hard to overcome staffing issues so that children receive consistency of care. They follow robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Leaders prioritise staff's well-being, which has helped to build an effective team. Staff feel well supported and valued. This has greatly improved staff morale and the outcomes for children.
• Leaders have devised a new curriculum that supports children's interests and curiosity. They consider topics to run alongside the activities and experiences they provide. Staff know children well and plan for their individual next steps in learning. However, the curriculum is still in its infancy and it is not embedded consistently. For example, some staff are not always confident in how they can put the curriculum intent into action through their teaching. That said, children remain motivated to learn and make good progress.
• Staff support children's independence well. For example, they encourage children to tidy up and wash their hands before mealtimes. Staff help children learn how to open packets of food from their lunch boxes. This supports children's independence skills in preparation for school.
• Staff support children with SEND well. They understand the importance of early intervention. For example, they place a strong focus on observing and monitoring children when they first start. This helps staff to identify any gaps in learning and development swiftly. Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to make timely referrals. They put targeted plans in place to support children's development. This supports children with SEND to make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff provide children with lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. For instance, children develop their core strength as they climb and balance on apparatus, under the watchful eye of staff. Staff support children to develop their small hand muscles through a range of mark-making activities. Younger children make lines and circles with paint. Older children use tools that help them to grip with their thumb and two fingers. This helps children to build the strength in their hands to support their early writing skills.
• Staff support children's communication and language well. They model language and comment on children's play. Staff incorporate songs, rhymes and stories into daily routines. For instance, children delight in singing along to familiar songs. They copy actions and joyfully clap their hands.
• Overall, leaders implement effective supervision sessions and support for all staff. They support staff's professional development to improve their knowledge and skills. However, these processes are not embedded fully enough to improve teaching to a consistently high level.
• Partnership with parents is effective. Staff communicate with parents and keep them up to date with their children's care and progress. Parents are invited to regular parents' meetings and fundraising events. Staff work with local schools and parents to ensure that children's transitions will be successful.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to have a clear understanding of the curriculum intent so that their teaching is consistently focused on what they want children to learn
• build on the arrangements for staff mentoring, coaching and training to further develop their skills and raise the quality of teaching.