Marsh Green Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children arrive happy, excited and ready to start playing in the safe and welcoming environment. They are greeted by kind and friendly staff, who know them well, and with whom they have formed strong attachments. Children quickly find their friends and are soon very settled and content.

Children play in the well-planned outdoor space throughout the day. They develop their knowledge and social skills as well as their physical abilities. Children are very focused as they look for bugs, make 'mud pies' and climb to the top of the climbing frame. This helps children develop their self-confidence and a sense of connection and wonderment in the world.

Children learn to understand the needs of others, as they negotiate and take turns. For example, they happily share resources with one another as they play with water funnels and pipes in the water tray. Staff act as good role models and have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children learn to be polite and sociable while they make good friendships.

Children demonstrate high levels of engagement in their tasks and activities. They are motivated and creative, such as when they mix paints, or build towers and buildings with bricks. Staff ensure that children's well-being is always at the heart of their practice.

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

• The knowledgeable and dedicated manager creates an ambitious curriculum for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. She demonstrates tenacity and perseverance as she engages with other professionals, to ensure every child has the support and resources they need to learn.
• Staff plan stimulating and well-sequenced activities to develop and extend children's learning. For example, children listen to stories in small groups to support their speech and concentration skills. This creates a positive and appropriate experience to help children learn the skills they need to participate in larger groups, and for their future learning.
• Staff recognise that during the COVID-19 pandemic, some children missed out on opportunities to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. They plan a curriculum that is rich in opportunities for children to talk about their feelings, emotions and lives. This helps children learn to regulate their behaviour and use words to express themselves.
• Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise when they play outside, walk across the fields, and dance to music. They use pencils, tweezers and pegboards as they practise their fine motor skills. Children show care and attention as they develop good hand-eye coordination.
• Staff speak clearly and slowly to support children to learn new words and to improve their speaking skills. They use sign language and visual cue cards to support children's communication skills. Children love to speak with staff, who listen carefully to them. Staff give children time to respond and think when they ask questions.
• Children develop their love of stories, songs and rhymes. Staff regularly share familiar books with them. Children delight in helping the staff to retell their favourite stories. Staff encourage children to read at home, such as by sending books home to share with parents.
• Children are curious and ask staff lots of questions. Staff support this well by providing activities that help children to think and wonder. For example, they love watching how colour dissolves into water. However, staff do not always think about ways they can strengthen children's mathematical skills, such as by counting and using mathematical language while they play,.
• Children learn to be independent. They know that they must wash their hands before preparing snack, and after going to the toilet. Staff speak with children about the importance of eating well to stay healthy.
• Staff well-being is high. They have regular meetings and supervision to discuss their workload and professional development. Staff know that the manager has their best interests at heart.
• Parents say their children 'thrive' at the pre-school. They feel supported and know what their children are doing. Staff share ideas with parents to help them support their children's learning and development at home. This leads to consistency in children's care and learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• find ways to extend children's understanding of mathematical concepts and numbers during spontaneous and planned activities, to build children's mathematical knowledge and skills even further.