Magpie Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this fun and welcoming pre-school. The leaders have worked hard to improve since the last inspection, and the results show clear progress. Children benefit from a range of different resources that appeal to their sense of awe and curiosity. For example, they tinker in a basket filled with old cameras, mobile telephones, and remote controls. Children ask questions and compare their experiences with the items. This offers good opportunities to communicate, sharing similarities and differences between themselves and others. Children behave very well and where there are minor situations, staff deal with these appropriately. Children learn that their choices may affect others, their safety or well-being.

Independence is a clear focus in the pre-school and children enjoy making decisions about their own self-care and needs. For instance, children delight in recalling what they need to be able to go outside in poor weather. They count as they put each boot on and persevere as they zip up their own coat. Children are reminded to wash their hands after using the toilet and before mealtimes. They learn the importance of good hygiene practices from a very young age.

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

• Staff interactions with children have improved. There are many opportunities for children to practise key skills in speech and language development, as they model language clearly. Children learn new vocabulary, such as 'materials' and 'statue', as they create models using plasticine. At times however, staff do not give children long enough to fully respond to questions, before moving the conversation on. This is not fully effective in helping children extend their language and engage in back-and-forth conversations.
• Children enjoy a range of activities that enable them to practise physical-development skills. For instance, they pick tiny pumpkin seeds with their 'pinching' fingers and use tweezers to pick up plastic spiders from within tangled string and coloured rice. This helps them to develop muscles in their hands as well as the coordination needed for later writing opportunities.
• The curriculum is well planned to sequence learning, and to practise and embed skills. Children mainly choose their own play experiences, based on their interests. However, there is a lack of opportunity for a wider range of activities, that encourage varied social interactions, such as group learning. This means that older children, do not fully benefit from opportunities to extend important skills such as speaking, listening, and taking turns.
• Assessment and planning procedures help to create a secure foundation for learning. Staff ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are referred to outside agencies for additional support in a timely manner. Staff have a good knowledge of how to precisely sequence the learning and tailor the support that individual children need. Children with SEND make secure progress, especially within their communication and language and personal, social and emotional development.
• The manager has ambitious plans to extend opportunities for outings. This will help to promote children's understanding of the wider world and their confidence beyond the setting. The manager has started to implement learning about the wider world, by organising visitors to the setting. For example, a professional delivered learning to encourage children to make positive choices for good oral health. As a result, children begin to recognise familiar experiences and are able to discuss what makes them unique.
• Relationships with parents are given high priority. Staff use a range of effective strategies to engage parents in their children's development and learning. For example, they invite parents to join children in their play within the setting and share 'wow' moments and progress. Parents have strong praise for the care and education their children receive.
• The manager implements relevant training plans for all staff. This helps to strengthen their practice and has a positive impact on outcomes for children. Staff report very good levels of well-being. They say that they are supported very well. Staff are passionate about their work with children and strive towards excellence.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's modelling of language and questioning techniques, to further extend children's thinking and communication skills
• refine the implementation of adult-directed activities to give older children opportunities to practise speaking, listening and turn taking within a group.