NAPSAC

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager to start their morning at pre-school. They carefully select their name card from the table and attach it to the attendance board. By following the familiar routine, children learn to recognise their written name from an early age. Children quickly settle to activities and share news with the welcoming staff. This helps to create a safe, happy atmosphere in the pre-school. Toys are accessible and well organised. Staff help children to find the ones that they want to play with. This encourages children to explore, think and learn. For example, older children make increasingly complex models with a favourite construction toy.

Leaders make decisions that benefit children's progress and well-being. After the COVID-19 pandemic, they made the promotion of children's communication skills an even higher priority than previously. This included planning additional training for staff. Staff notice when children appear to be showing signs of speech delay or difficulty. They know what to do to address this. The focus on speech and language also has a positive impact on children's behaviour. They learn words to describe their emotions. This means that children can talk about how they feel. They begin to understand the effect that their actions have on other people.

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

• The pre-school is part of a supportive professional community. Leaders and managers in the pre-school and school work together effectively. This helps children to feel secure and confident when they transfer from school to the after-school club. Staff in the pre-school and school work to ensure that children make a happy, successful transition into the Reception Year. Excellent staff retention promotes long-term stability that parents and carers value.
• Staff's understanding of how children learn is evident in how they plan the learning environment. Children go to the carpet area when they want to build things and play collaboratively. They seek out the cosy book corner when they want to be quiet or read. Staff make knowledgeable decisions about when to join in with children's self-chosen activities. The combination of self-motivation and timely support helps children to become successful learners.
• Staff work together to establish and teach consistent routines. This helps to promote children's confidence and independence. Children learn how to behave well and to become a useful member of the group. For example, children of all ages participate in tidying up ready for snack time. Staff's enthusiasm invites children's attention and involvement. They make taking the register and counting 'how many children' something that nobody wants to miss.
• Overall, children's learning is sequenced effectively. Staff demonstrate good knowledge of child development and know the children well. However, there are occasions when staff do not identify, precisely enough, the knowledge and skills that they intend children to acquire or reinforce during adult-led activities. This does not promote children's swiftest possible progress.
• Staff plan experiences that promote rich conversation and happy memories. Younger children eagerly recall a crab's escape from the rock pool that came to visit pre-school. Older children work hard to find everything on the outdoor scavenger hunt list. They look closely to check whether leaves are spiky or smooth. They listen carefully to discover whether there are any birds nearby. Children become confident talkers, who continually extend their vocabulary.
• Leaders support staff to continuously improve their professional skills. For example, staff attended training that extended their knowledge about meeting the needs of two-year-old children. The training was a valuable opportunity to debate methods and ideas with staff from other settings. Staff have used their new learning to review and enhance the curriculum for younger children.
• The words 'nurturing, unique' and 'fun' were the outcome of a survey asking parents to give their views about the pre-school. Parents, including those whose children speak English as an additional language, praise the individual care and support that children receive. The positive relationships between families and staff help to promote children's self-esteem and progress. Children are ready to start school when the time comes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• identify more clearly what children are intended to know, or be able to do, as a result of participating in adult-led activities.