Mojo 4

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are relaxed, confident and settled at this inclusive and nurturing pre-school. Leaders and staff give a high priority to children's emotional well-being. This supports children to quickly form close bonds with staff and positive relationships with other children. Children behave well at the pre-school. There are well-embedded routines in place and children know exactly what is expected of them. Children enjoy playing a game with coloured building blocks. As well as discussing the colours of the blocks, staff gently remind children that they need to take turns to add their blocks to the tower. Children patiently wait their turn to place their blocks. Staff are full of praise for children's self-control and good manners. This supports children effectively to begin to manage their own behaviour and to be ready for their next steps, such as starting school.

Leaders at the pre-school create a curriculum which is ambitious for all children. Staff develop children's communication and language well. There is lots of chatter and laughter between staff and children. Staff take every opportunity to engage children in conversations about what they are doing or what they can see or feel. At lunchtime, children sit in social groups and discuss interesting questions, such as what their favourite animal is and what sound a giraffe makes. Staff support all children skilfully to join in with the conversation and to put forward their ideas. This enables all children to make good progress with their speaking and listening skills.

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

• Staff carefully assess children's development when they start at the pre-school and on an ongoing basis. Leaders and staff then plan a range of interesting activities to support children to reach their next steps. Usually, staff are clear when working with children about precisely what they want the children to learn. Occasionally, however, they are less clear about the focus of children's learning during some activities and at these times, children's progress is less secure.
• Children have lots of opportunities to enjoy books at the pre-school. They cuddle up with staff in the outdoor area to listen to a story or choose to read in the book corner. Children listen intently and watch carefully as staff read a story about a butterfly. They then choose another book about animals and read it to themselves, turning the pages independently and pointing to the pictures. This shows that children are supported well to develop an early love of books.
• Staff incorporate mathematics well into children's play. Children have lots of fun when playing with a set of cars on a ramp. They quiver with excitement as they line up the cars at the top, count to three and then let them go. Children discuss which car finished 'first' and read out the numbers on the track. Outside, children scoop up water from a tray and use the words 'full' and 'empty'. These activities support children to develop their early mathematics skills and knowledge well.
• Children get lots of fresh air and exercise in the thoughtfully planned outdoor space. They bend and stretch as they scoop up water and pour it down a piece of guttering. Children carefully dispense water into pots, concentrating hard and tightly holding the container steady as the water reaches the top. Children tip up a giant pipe and roll balls down it to their friends, laughing as the ball pops out of the other end. As a result, children gain confidence in their physical skills.
• Leaders have a keen focus on staff's development and well-being. They support staff well to continuously develop their professional skills through a wide range of training and focused supervision meetings with leaders. Staff report that they enjoy being part of such positive and happy team, and that everyone is supported and valued.
• Leaders and staff are passionate about working in a positive and supportive partnership with parents and carers. They describe their approach as a 'holistic' one, where they care about and value the whole family. Parents are full of praise and appreciation for leaders and staff, saying that the 'care and concern shown is exceptional'.
• Parents report that they are well informed about their children's progress and next steps in learning through parents' meetings and regular updates from their children's key persons. Staff encourage parents to take part in exciting projects using home learning packs to grow flowers, herbs and vegetables with their children. This enables parents to continue their children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's knowledge and skills to ensure that they consistently understand and focus on the learning intent of all activities.