Needingworth Community Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in the pre-school. They eagerly explore their environment and relish discovering new things from the wealth of resources. Children become deeply involved as they experiment, transporting logs and carefully creating a structure to climb on or hide under. They confidently climb trees and learn how to safely come back down, under the watchful guidance of the practitioners. This helps build children's confidence and reinforces highly positive attitudes to learning.

Children are beginning to understand and control their feelings and emotions. They manage their behaviour with considered support from practitioners, who model the behaviour that is expected. Children eagerly share their thoughts about their experiences at the pre-school and explain about their favourite person who helps them. They indicate who they would tell if they felt sad and say, 'Because she would make me feel better'.

Children thoroughly enjoy spending time in the forest school area. They show great tenacity as they keep trying to walk across several stepping stones in one go. Children develop excellent physical skills as they push themselves along on scooters and balance on the tightrope. This helps them to develop good muscle control, feel relaxed and develop a deep sense of overall well-being.

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

• Practitioners have a very good understanding of the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children and their families. They kept in regular contact, providing support for parents to continue their child's learning at home. Practitioners swiftly identified and put strategies in place to close any gaps in children's learning. This has had an exceptionally positive effect on children's social skills and their progress overall.
• Children are developing excellent language skills. Practitioners skilfully introduce new words and revisit subjects to check children's understanding. For example, practitioners ask if children remember what the word hibernate means. Children explain that it means the animals sleep in the winter. This is highly effective in helping to extend children's vocabulary.
• The excellent working relationship with the host school and teachers is a key strength. Together, they work closely to support children's transfer to full-time education effectively. Children visit the school regularly to become familiar with the space. They to get to know the teachers who report that when children start school, they are exceptionally well prepared for more formal learning.
• Partnerships with parents are very well established and valued. Parents report how exceptionally well informed they are about their children's learning and provide very positive comments about their children's experiences at the pre- school. They say that practitioners 'go over and above' to ensure that their child is well looked after and ready for school.
• Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, thrive in all aspects of their development. Practitioners liaise very closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that each child receives the support they need. Leaders use additional funding to target specific areas of development for children and reduce any differences in their learning.
• The leadership and management of the pre-school are exceptional. The manager has high expectations for all practitioners and empowers them to continually develop their skills and knowledge. Practitioners report that leaders give their well-being high priority, and they feel extremely motivated to do their very best for the children in their care.
• Children are highly independent. Practitioners encourage them to organise themselves for mealtimes and pour their own drinks. Together, they discuss the importance of healthy food. Children explain, 'Milk helps you grow, and it is good for your teeth'.
• Practitioners monitor children's well-being and progress closely to identify any gaps in learning, so that these can be swiftly addressed. They design an ambitious curriculum that ensures every child has the best possible start to their education. Practitioners are skilled at knowing when to intervene in children's play and when to allow them to take risks or make mistakes. As a result, children develop the skills they need to support their future learning.