Mayfield Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are extremely confident in their surroundings. Staff are highly sensitive to children's unique needs and give them the time they need to settle into the pre-school. This has a significant impact on children's sense of belonging and the bonds they make with their key-person. Staff provide a nurturing environment that extensively supports children's interest in the play opportunities available to them.

Children are highly motivated and show extremely high levels of intrigue and curiosity within their play. They constantly question how things work, what is going to happen next and why things happen. For example, children explore the mechanical crane, pulling levers and turning buttons to see what happens. They extend this further to balance objects on the platform, watching what happens as it is raised and dropped. Children learn quickly to slow the turning of the button to balance the object so that it does not fall off.

Children's communication and language is promoted successfully through purposeful conversations and the introduction of complex vocabulary. Staff promote a strong emphasis on recognising different forms of communication. Children's understanding of spoken words is richly embedded through the use of gestures, expressions and signing. They are highly confident to express their needs, showing great expression in their conversations with their friends. For example, children use expressions and words to show their amazement at the changes in their 'magic potions'. They use highly descriptive words to explain their delight.

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

• Children develop excellent independence skills. They learn through positive examples from their peers and from staff. Children eagerly choose where to play, inside or outside, choosing from a vast range of experiences. Staff encourage children to extend their play. Children demonstrate this by transporting equipment from one area to another to enhance their learning and to share their experiences with others.
• Staff have an exceptional knowledge and understanding of how children learn. They identify children's interests and ways of learning, incorporating a rich and stimulating play environment to channel these interests. Staff identify a clear intention for each child's learning and how they are going to support this particular development. They fully evaluate the impact their practice has on children's progress. This results in children making exceedingly good progress, particularly in the three prime areas of learning.
• Children gain an immense sense of belonging to the local community. They develop relationships with elderly visitors who share stories and experiences with them. Children work with other members of the community to develop the orchard within the village, sharing the experience of harvest time. Staff show a strong commitment to the village project of joining the community together through different establishments and topics.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive exceptional support from staff. Staff work sensitively with parents, who highly appreciate the time, effort and support they give. Staff provide a very personalised programme and they understand how to plan small steps to help children develop at their own rate. This results in children reaching their potential. Staff continue to develop their knowledge and skills to help meet the particular needs of these children.
• Children have an extraordinary attitude towards learning. They demonstrate dynamic learning strategies that are motivated through staff's practice, interaction and engagement with them. Children eagerly explore and experiment in their play, involving their friends and staff in their highly productive achievements. For example, boys use chalks experimentally, rolling them down the hill looking at the marks they are making on the path. They use different techniques and resources, as well as trial and error, to remove the marks. They enthusiastically share their findings of using sponges and water to wipe them away.
• The staff work cohesively, supporting and motivating each other in their roles and responsibilities. They develop strong professionalism, eagerly gaining information, skills and knowledge to strengthen their practice. Staff tailor their training towards the needs of the children attending and the skills and knowledge they require to unreservedly meet those needs.
• Staff evaluate and reflect comprehensively to identify patterns of development and any gaps in their curriculum. They notice that children have extreme skills using small-muscle development, but have limited core strength. Staff completed training and initiate balance-ability sessions to encourage children to learn new skills and to develop large muscles in their bodies. They have noticed an increase in children's strength, coordination and movement.