Maidenhall Community Pre-school LTD

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff create an environment that meets children's individual needs and encourages all children to make good progress in their learning and development. Staff use the information gathered at home visits to build a clear understanding of the knowledge children already have before they start. This information is used to create the next step targets ready for children to achieve. Staff regularly adapt the environment and reflect on their practice. This ensures that children have access to the best opportunities and experiences they may not otherwise have. For example, a recent visit to the library provided children with the opportunity to join the service and borrow their first book.

Staff create a calm environment for all children. The noise level remains low, which allows children to concentrate at activities for long periods of time. This has a positive impact on behaviour. Staff join children at their play and children welcome this. Staff use their ability to support play to extend learning. At the pretend doctor's surgery, staff talk to children about what they are doing with their babies and how they are helping them feel better. Later, staff ask questions, giving children opportunities to think about what they are doing and what they can do next. This develops children's cognitive and problem-solving skills.

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

• The leadership team is highly reflective of the provision and curriculum it offers. Recent enhancements to the curriculum ensure that the overarching intent aligns with the immediate needs of the current cohort of children. Staff have a secure understanding of each child's needs. They identify children's next steps in learning and plan learning experiences that reflect their interests. This means all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points.
• Overall, children have opportunities to lead their own play. Staff encourage all children to access activities and join them at these to embed learning. However, staff do not always have the skills and knowledge in their practice to support the quietest children at activities. On occasions, staff do not ensure that the quietest children are engaged in activities and, therefore, these children do not fully benefit from the learning.
• Staff are knowledgeable about the setting routines and have created these based on the needs of the children. Children who arrive early at the setting hang their own coats and bags and add their pictures to the registration board. However, not all transitions during the day are organised as well so that children understand what is expected of them. For example, children who arrive later to the session do not use the opportunity to self-register and staff do not follow this up. At tidy-up time, staff play music to signal this time for the children to finishing playing. However, not all children seem aware of this and continue to play.
• Children are given ample opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. Outdoors, they enjoy using pipettes to transfer water from a large tray to a jug. Staff teach the children how to squeeze the end of the pipette to get the water, offering them encouragement as they persevere until they succeed. Furthermore, inside, children make dough with flour and water. Staff teach them to knead and squeeze it to change the shape. This builds their hand muscles ready for early writing.
• There is an effective key-person system and children have great relationships with all the staff team. Staff are kind and attentive to the children's needs. Staff provide parents with detailed handovers of the children's day. Parents are happy with the care their children receive. They are welcomed into the setting for parent workshops. This provides parents with useful information, support and advice. The leadership team believes the well-being of the whole family is imperative to support children's learning and development.
• Leaders prioritise the ongoing professional development and upskilling of their staff team. Staff complete regular training to support them in their roles. They feel very well supported. They are happy and work well as a team. Staff monitor each other's practice through observations and provide each other with constructive feedback. Leaders have a clear vision for the setting. This helps to support the continuous improvement of the overall care and education they provide.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to review their interactions during activities to ensure the quietest children are fully engaged and have the same quality learning opportunities as others
• review and improve the organisation of some daily transitions so that children receive consistent support and have a good understanding of staff expectations at those times.