Malabar Road Pre-School Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy to this setting and are greeted warmly by staff. Staff use children's home languages to support less-confident children to feel more comfortable. This helps children to settle well. Staff focus on developing children's communication and language skills. They use visual prompts to support children to recognise the routines of the day and follow simple instructions. Children enjoy singing songs, for example, while walking to the garden, children enjoy singing 'The wheels on the bus'.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children develop friendships and social skills. For example, when a child finds an insect in the garden he excitedly calls over his friends to share in his discovery. Staff support children to share the magnifying glasses and to take turns so they can all have a closer look at the insects. Staff use visual cards to support children to understand expectations and praise them when they do.

Staff know the children and use this knowledge to plan a curriculum that meets each child's developmental stage. Staff plan a range of interesting learning opportunities for children, both indoors and outdoors. Staff participate in valuable interactions with children. Children build good physical skills. Staff support children to move their bodies in lots of different ways. Children confidently climb steps to use the slide, they kick balls, showing good coordination and control. Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their small-muscle skills, when they peel oranges at snack time. All children make good progress from their starting points.

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

• Staff create a warm environment, where children settle well. The key-person system is well established and children build connections with their key person, engaging them in their play and seeking them out for reassurance when needed. The secure emotional bonds children develop with their key person allow them to flourish.
• Overall, staff focus on supporting children to develop their communication and language skills well. They use simple key words when talking to children about what they are doing. For example, you can 'kick it' as children practise their ball skills and 'run, run' when children play a chasing game. However, occasionally, staff respond to their own questions too quickly before allowing children sufficient time to think and reply. This means that children do not always have time to share their own thoughts and ideas.
• Staff provide children with opportunities to help children learn about the community they live in and the world around them. They go on regular walks in the community, where staff talk to children about the things they can see.
• Children point out the 'laundrette' and talk about how they go there with their parents, to clean their clothes. Staff point out numbers in the environment and encourage children to count and recognise the numbers they see. In this way, children steadily develop good mathematical knowledge and understanding.
• Overall, staff support children's independence skills well. They encourage children to wash their own hands before snack and to hang their own coats and bags when they arrive. However, at times staff do not give older children the freedom to try things for themselves before they step in to help. This limits the progress children could make.
• Leaders understand their setting well and know which areas need improvement most. They prioritise offering staff appropriate training and assistance to deliver the curriculum effectively. As a result, staff report feeling valued and supported in their roles.
• Children learn about healthy choices. Staff teach children about healthy eating and why it is important to try different fruits and vegetables. Staff support children to wash their hands when they arrive at the setting and after using the toilet. Children learn about the importance of oral hygiene and brushing their teeth regularly. These opportunities help children to feel proud of the tasks they complete by themselves and help them develop healthy habits and attitudes from an early age.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. The provider recognises that some parents struggle to understand English so provide stay-and-play sessions, where they can observe and discuss with staff their child's progress. Staff share ideas with parents on how they can support their children at home. Staff provide advice on healthy eating, and preparing their child for the transition to school. Parents report that they are happy with the setting and how they support their children's progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the use of questioning so that staff provide all children with thinking time when asking them questions, allowing them the time they need to process the question and to give an answer
• support staff to provide more opportunities for older children to practise their independence skills before stepping in to offer help.