Mosses Community Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are at the heart of this inclusive and welcoming setting. They have many opportunities to learn about different cultures and festivals. For example, children enjoy dressing up in multicultural clothes. They also teach their friends and staff how to use the pray mats as they celebrate the festival of Eid. These meaningful experiences help children to learn about similarities and differences.

Children benefit from lots of opportunities to be active learners in the outdoor area. They explore a range of resources to help them to develop their fine-and gross-motor skills. For example, children work together to mix the mud and water as they create a mud pie. Children also enjoy using spray bottles to make marks on the chalkboard, which supports their early writing skills. Children show a positive attitude towards their learning. For example, in the outdoor area children practise taking turns to use the balancing beams. They do this with skill and develop an understanding of spatial awareness.

The manager has recognised the gap in children's communication and language due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, staff provide lots of opportunities for children to develop their language and communication skills. For example, they sing songs, read stories and engage in meaningful conversations with the children.

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

• Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. For example, during group-time staff speak to children in English and in their home language. This helps children to learn English at their own pace.
• Staff identify possible gaps in children's learning at an early stage. The manager liaises well with parents and other professionals to get the children the help they need. This helps to narrow any gaps in children's learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points due to the high quality teaching. This helps children to reach their full potential.
• Staff have a good understanding of what they want children to learn. However, the curriculum for literacy is not as embedded as other areas of learning. For example, children have limited opportunities to develop their early writing skills. This weakness is largely due to the limited resources provided in the literacy area.
• Children are supported to develop an understanding of the world around them by learning about their local community. For example, they recently enjoyed singing to the local veterans. These valuable learning experiences help children to build good relationships with members of their community.
• Children develop positive relationships with their key person. For example, staff take time to get to know each child and their interests. They also work alongside the parents, for example by sharing ideas on how to support their child's learning at home. This provides continuity in children's learning and helps them to feel settled and safe at the setting.
• Partnership with parents is strong. Parents speak highly of the staff and the support they provide to their children. One parent said that staff have helped her child to develop a love of books. All children, regardless of their needs, enjoy listening to stories and books are very much part of the daily routine.
• Children behave well at the setting. They demonstrate high levels of independence as they choose and lead their own play. Children also engage well with their friends and staff. This helps them to development positive relationships from an early age.
• Staff promote children's good health and well-being. They provide a healthy snack bar, which the children thoroughly enjoy. Children also brush their teeth after lunch, which helps them to understand the importance of good oral hygiene. The manager and staff work closely with families, to encourage children's healthy lifestyles at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance the curriculum for literacy, so that children have further opportunities to explore and practise their early writing skills.