Mary Platt Methodist Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children play in a safe and stimulating environment. They love being outdoors and spend plenty of time exploring the environment. Children behave well and follow staff's instructions. For example, children competently help tidy away the resources ready for their next activity when asked by staff. They do this with much enthusiasm because they know they are going outside. Children's independence is supported. They learn to remove their indoor shoes and find themselves a matching pair of boots. Their independence is further promoted by staff helping children to learn how to put on their own coat. These opportunities help prepare children for the future move to school.

Children thrive and their physical and emotional well-being is promoted well. For example, children's faces light up with excitement as they peddle wheeled toys through powder paint scattered on the ground. Staff encourage children to look at the patterns they make and help them to recognise the different colours. Children learn about the natural world around them. They go on a nature walk round the garden and collect leaves and sticks that match to a nature worksheet. Children sit in dens and enjoy reading stories with staff. Afterwards, they re-enact their favourite stories while following a set of visual clues.

Children demonstrate that they are happy and safe. The manager and staff warmly welcome the parents and children at the garden gate. Parents do not come inside, due to the setting's COVID-19 risk assessment. However, staff successfully share information with the parents verbally and through an online programme. This helps to ensure that parents feel fully involved in their child's learning. Children are happy to be left at the gate. Those children who may be feeling a little anxious soon settle quickly through the nurturing approach used by staff to help make them feel secure.

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

• The manager and staff have high expectations for all children. They know the children well. Staff follow children's interests to support them in a way that is appropriate to their individual needs and level of development. This is especially helpful for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff allow children to settle at their own pace and provide numerous sensory resources that they know children enjoy listening to and exploring. Children are given additional support when required and targeted plans are put in place to help children to reach their full potential.
• Leaders and managers are ambitious and passionate about their vision for the pre-school. The manager consistently evaluates the pre-school provision and has introduced many changes since her recent appointment. There is a strong focus on staff well-being, and regular supervision meetings and training are a high priority. Staff report that they feel supported and are able to discuss any concerns they have about their key children and know these will be followed up.
• Staff work in close partnerships with parents. Parents are very happy with the care and learning their children receive. They comment on the manager's and staff's commitment to keeping in touch during closures related to COVID-19. They appreciate how involved they can be in their child's education.
• Children benefit greatly from visits into the pre-school by people who help them, such as the dentist. Following the visit, staff continue to teach children about the importance of good oral hygiene. For instance, they provide activities to help children understand the importance of looking after their teeth and keeping their bodies healthy. Children make healthy choices around food at mealtimes and they eagerly take part in indoor exercise sessions.
• Children learn new skills and staff help them to embed their learning. For example, children are learning a language programme that uses signs together with speech and symbols. Children recall previous symbols they can use and demonstrate them with much success. This activity promotes children's attention, listening, understanding, memory and expressive speech and language. Children enjoy singing action songs and play musical instruments in time to the music. Staff communicate well with children during conversations, story time and group time activities. However, occasionally, staff do not always provide sufficient time to enable children to respond to questions. This means that children, especially those with limited speech and language, are not enabled to elaborate on their thoughts, ideas and further speaking skills.
• The curriculum for literacy and mathematics is effective. Staff incorporate counting into children's planned activities and spontaneous play. For example, children count how many cocktail sticks and sweets they need to add to their Christingle orange. Staff help children to learn about the meaning of this celebration in readiness for their Christmas service in the church building. Children visit shops and other places of interest in their community. However, opportunities for children to reflect on their own cultural background and help them to understand what makes them unique and celebrate what they have in common are limited.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop further staff's knowledge of speaking and listening strategies to ensure sufficient time is given for children to respond to questions, and elaborate on their thoughts, ideas and speaking skills
• extend opportunities for children to reflect on their cultural background and help them to understand what makes them unique and celebrate what they have in common.