Mudeford Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the pre-school, keen to start their play. They separate from their carers well and show they feel safe and secure. Staff offer a warm welcome and develop caring relationships with children and their families. They use the interests of children to implement the creative and stimulating curriculum. For instance, staff take children's ideas for what they would like to do when planning for topics. Children are highly motivated learners and show positive attitudes to learning. They huddle excitedly around a 'curiosity cube' containing items and talk about what they can see. They are creative and enjoy solving problems. For example, they design houses to stop the 'Big Bad Wolf blowing them down'. Children talk through and adapt their designs with their friends, explaining their choices.

Children are independent and manage their self-care. They dress themselves, cut their own fruit and pour drinks carefully. Staff skilfully support children by modelling or using prompts. For instance, they teach young children to go 'backwards and forwards' when slicing apples and offer praise and encouragement. Children develop a love of reading. They choose to listen to stories on devices using headphones and sit following the story in the book. Children use new words learned from books in their play and show pride in sharing what words mean to staff and children.

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

• The manager and staff offer a highly ambitious and focused curriculum. Learning is consolidated through revisiting activities and ensuring knowledge is embedded. For example, staff encourage children to think about the characters in the 'book of the week' and recall what happened in the story. Staff know all children well and effectively support their learning through planned and spontaneous interactions.
• Staff use their observations and screening of children's current levels of development to identify gaps in learning as soon as children start at the setting. They put immediate interventions in place and ask outside agencies for support when needed. They monitor progress and adapt their approach to supporting children. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.
• Staff place high priority on promoting children's communication and language skills. They use all opportunities to engage children in conversations and encourage them to speak. For example, staff play alongside children, asking a range of questions and giving them time to respond. Children practise familiar words during daily reading and song times in the pre-school.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff work closely with parents and regularly share children's next steps in learning and development. They send home books and activities, specifically chosen for each child's needs, to ensure parents can continue their child's learning at home. Children benefit from this consistent approach that promotes their progress.
• Staff support children to manage their feelings and play well with others. For example, children learn to use colours to explain their emotions and recognise the feelings of others. Staff gently intervene, when needed, to support younger children to take turns. Children use prompts from staff to understand how to wait for their turn and share toys to make it 'fair'. Children quickly master the skills independently and play positively together.
• Overall, children behave well. They understand rules and usually follow the behaviours expected of them. Staff use clear, consistent methods, such as ringing a bell to indicate children need to stop and listen. However, on occasions, the large physical play offered inside does not provide children with the same level of challenge and focused learning. As a result, children are not consistently engaged in meaningful learning, and the learning of others is sometimes disrupted.
• The manager offers strong leadership and support for staff. She provides regular training and monitoring of staff practice. Staff share good practice through observing each other every half term. They say they find these 'invaluable' in providing ideas about how they better support children. The delivery of the curriculum is consistently good and positively impacts on the progress of children.
• Staff promote healthy lifestyles for children. For instance, children learn how to clean their teeth and which foods are bad for our teeth. Staff provide healthy snacks and lunches. They seek advice from experts to ensure the menu is balanced and provides the nutrition children need.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide further challenge for children, particularly during indoor physical play, so they remain focused and engaged and continue to learn.