Nanstallon Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the pre-school eagerly and settle quickly to enjoy the interesting activities awaiting them. The manager and staff plan a broad and balanced curriculum that centres around children's interests and needs. For example, younger children are enthusiastic to bath baby dolls in the water tray, exploring the textures and colours of the soapy bubbles. They learn basic mathematical concepts such as capacity as they smile and exclaim, 'The jug is full to the brim!'.

The friendly staff welcome children warmly. They form strong and friendly attachments with children, which supports children's emotional development. Children behave well. Staff are good role models and treat children with care and kindness. They gently guide and support children to share, take turns and cooperate during play.

Children benefit greatly from daily opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, outdoors, they gain balance and coordination on large equipment and become increasingly confident as they challenge themselves. They beam with pride as staff praise their many achievements. Children learn about the natural world, for example as they search for insects, and they see the changing of the seasons as they explore.

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

• The manager provides strong and effective leadership. She is passionate about ensuring children enjoy the best possible experiences and continually reflects on the quality of the pre-school. Staff feel valued and well supported in their work. There is a strong emphasis on continued professional development and staff share the expertise they develop, which promotes consistency throughout the pre-school.
• Parents are very complimentary about the pre-school and the caring staff. They appreciate the wide variety of activities their children enjoy and comment positively on their good progress. There is an effective two-way flow of information and the manager and staff work together with parents to extend children's learning in a variety of ways. For example, staff provide interesting activities and books for children to enjoy at home.
• The manager and staff monitor all children's development closely and there is strong support for children who need extra help to achieve their full potential. The joint approach to this support in collaboration with parents and other professionals works very effectively. The manager uses additional funding to target the areas of learning where children need it most.
• The manager and staff ensure that children know the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Children enjoy healthy and nutritious snacks. Younger children concentrate well as they carefully spread butter on toast, developing their independence and confidence. Children follow good hygiene routines, such as brushing their teeth to support their good health and well-being.
• Children have positive attitudes to learning and take part in activities with great joy and enthusiasm. For example, they dance to music and join in eagerly with the actions at 'wiggle and shake' time. They gain a good sense of rhythm and rhyme. Staff interact positively during a good mix of adult-guided and child-led play. However, during some adult-guided activities, staff overlook opportunities to consolidate and reinforce all children's learning.
• Children are confident communicators. Staff continually engage them in conversation and children listen carefully to instructions. Children develop a good vocabulary that supports their speaking skills well. For example, younger children delight in talking about the 'sticky mixture' as they make play dough. Older children skilfully draw pictures of family members and describe the colours and shapes in their pictures in detail.
• The manager and staff make the most of opportunities to prepare children for their eventual move to school. They share children's achievements with school staff and there are many opportunities to join with local schools for activities. Children become familiar with school life and move forward with confidence and self-assurance.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend opportunities for children to practise what they already know and can do during adult-guided activities to consolidate and strengthen their understanding.