Mother Goose Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in this warm and caring pre-school. They have strong emotional attachments with the staff, who cuddle and comfort them when needed. Children explore the stimulating resources and activities that arise from their interests. For example, children learn about bugs in the 'minibeasts investigation area', which was set up after they discovered bugs in the garden. Children develop a love for reading, as staff read stories with them. They independently access reading corners, inside and outside, and take library books home to share with their family. Children benefit from lots of opportunities to be physically active in the well-equipped outdoor play area. They master skills to climb over obstacle courses and ride cars up and down the paved area.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and conduct and children quickly learn how to behave from staff's positive example. Children play harmoniously together and help each other at every opportunity. They work together to hand out the carpet mats with their names on, the older children helping the younger children to find their names. Staff have precise knowledge of each child and what they know and what they need to build on, as a result, children make good progress.

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

• Staff teach children to be independent from the very start. Children come in and wash their hands, hang their coats up and find their names to put on the board. Older children dress themselves in waterproofs to play outside and younger children are gently shown by staff how to put their boots on, asking if they are 'on the right feet'.
• Staff kept in close contact with families during the COVID-19 pandemic to support children's learning and well-being. For example, staff provided home-learning resources with activity ideas, made weekly calls to offer support and advice and read a weekly story, which was streamed live for the children. Staff have noticed some delay in children's development of social skills and language. Consequently, they have successfully focused on helping children to catch up in these areas and continue to do so.
• Children are very well prepared to move on, including to school. Staff provide activities to mirror school life, such as physical education sessions. Staff send packs home with older children which include phonics books and learning games. There are close links to the local school, where staff work closely to support children who will be moving on. These activities and support from the staff enable children to be ready for the next stage in their education.
• Children learn about the world around them effectively, through sequenced and exciting activities. For example, they learn about life cycles and how silk worms turn into moths as staff show them real eggs. Staff show the children stick insects and talk about how to care for them.
• Children are confident, as staff skilfully allow children to follow their interests and test out their own ideas. Children play in the sand pit outside. They build sandcastles and staff support them as the children request to make a flag. Children delight as they decorate their sandcastles with the flags they have made.
• Staff understand what children need which underpins the effective delivery of the curriculum. However, on occasion, staff do not stretch activities to extend further learning for the more advanced children to maximise their progress.
• Management is reflective in their practice and swiftly makes amendments to bring about improvements. In particular, they have begun to work more closely with parents to ensure they have a good relationship with their child's key person. So they have a clear understanding of their child's key person and what their child is working towards.
• The pre-school has a strong community focus, enabling the children to become aware of the world around them. The dedicated committee supports the staff to ensure the pre-school is run successfully and help to raise funds to provide high-quality resources for the children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• maximise the opportunities for staff to engage with children, specifically the most-able children to help them make their best possible progress.