Milton Pre School CIC

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are confident and independent learners. Staff support children to explore their environment and the curriculum on offer. Children spend lots of time outdoors in the fresh air. They practise their physical skills as they push themselves on wheeled toys or climb and slide down the apparatus. Staff are good role models and support children who are unsure how to use equipment safely and correctly. For example, young children are shown how to use scooters by pushing with one foot. Staff hold them steady as they try to do it for themselves. Children build up resilience and a 'can-do' attitude as they keep persevering until they are successful.

Children enjoy making marks on walls outside using paintbrushes and water. Staff support children's understanding of early letter formation as they suggest drawing the letter 's'. They say to children, 'Let's slither down like the snake.' Children repeat this as they try and copy the letter. Older children enjoy writing independently, using whiteboards and markers as they copy numbers in the environment. Staff are kind and caring. They build strong and respectful relationships with children, who are listened to and given choices. Staff explain to children when it is time for their nappy to be changed, and staff seek permission. Consequently, children feel safe and secure.

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

• Leaders and staff are passionate about the care they provide and about the future of the pre-school. Ambitious plans to develop the setting include a special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) hub, and a further baby unit is also underway. Leaders and staff have a good understanding of the community they serve and want to make much-needed facilities accessible for those who need the support.
• The pre-school has an ambitious curriculum that aims to give all children the foundation for early reading and writing, ready for their transition to school. That said, during some group activities the learning intent is too advanced for some of the younger children, and staff do not always adapt their teaching style to meet the needs of this age group. Consequently, children lose interest and do not learn as much from the activity as the older children do.
• Staff have high expectations of children's learning. They gather detailed information from parents about children's likes and dislikes. They plan the curriculum around children's interests and follow their lead in learning. For example, children talk about going shopping. Staff provide a 'shop' in the role play area and positively interact with children as they use their imaginations when buying and selling items in the 'shop'. Children make good progress from their starting points and learn skills to equip them for their next stage of learning.
• Parent partnerships are strong. Staff form secure relationships with both the children and their parents and/or carers. Effective communication through a variety of media ensures that parents are kept up to date with the progress their children make in their learning. Parents say that staff are kind, caring and extremely supportive. Their children love coming to pre-school and talk about all the fun things they have been doing.
• Support for children with SEND is good. Effective partnerships with other professionals involved in the children's care ensure that children make the progress they are capable of. Support plans and targets are put in place, and these are shared with parents so they can support their child's learning at home. Leaders and staff forge strong links with local schools, which help children transition on to school.
• Staff report high levels of morale. A programme of effective professional development and regular meetings with leaders ensures that the quality of teaching is consistently good.
• There is a strong focus on communication and language within the curriculum. Staff use local initiatives to support children's growing language skills so they can communicate their wants and needs. However, there is a lower emphasis on literacy and reading to children. Children sing songs together but don't always share stories or have stories read to them frequently. Parents are not informed about the importance of reading to their child at home.
• Staff support children to take turns and share with their friends. On the whole, children behave well. Any unwanted behaviour is swiftly dealt with by staff in a calm manner. Staff support children to be independent, such as finding their own coats and putting them on. Children also like to help tidy up after activities and put their toys away. They learn they must wash their hands after playing outdoors to wash the germs away, and they do this independently.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to recognise how to adapt activities so they meet the individual learning needs of the younger children
• place a stronger focus on literacy to enable children to consistently hear stories during the day and provide ideas to support parents to read with their children at home.