Nestlings Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly into the pre-school upon their arrival, eager to see staff and explore the activities available. They have strong relationships with their key person and the whole staff team. Children enjoy their company and seek them out to share their experiences. Parents are very positive about the friendly and welcoming staff. They say that children are treated as individuals, with staff very beneficially adapting their support for each child.

Staff work together to form their child-led curriculum. They thoughtfully link this to children's interests and preferred ways of learning. This motivates children very effectively. Children confidently choose activities and areas to explore. They ride trikes, use climbing and balancing equipment, and jump on the small trampoline outside, building their coordination and strength well. Children follow their current fascination with pets, spontaneously creating a vet's surgery in their self-made den indoors. Children thrive on continued periods of uninterrupted play. They investigate and test out their ideas, and they show strong attitudes to developing their skills. Children create at the craft table, independently choosing the resources they need. They snip with scissors, make marks and glue items to create their desired effect. They proudly place their creations with their belongings, to take home to show their parents.

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

• Each child's key person gets to know children quickly, liaising closely with parents and other settings children attend. They track children's achievements carefully, outlining the next steps in children's development and making plans to support these. They work closely with parents on an ongoing basis to help guide and support children's learning at home. In this way, children receive a consistent approach, and their skills progress very well.
• Staff offer timely and sensitive additional support when young children are struggling to understand expectations. The children show respect for staff, listening to them, and they begin to learn about the needs of others. Older children readily share toys and play cooperatively together.
• The manager supports the staff team's close focus on children's literacy development. Staff provide a lending library for children to take books home. The manager supports older children's skills with alphabet letters and sounds. She has undertaken training and ensures they use the same approach as the neighbouring school to offer continuity for children. Staff also take the children to the school library, as well as to other school events, which helps to build children's confidence in the school environment.
• Children's communication skills progress well, including children who speak English as an additional language. Staff are useful models for children, speaking clearly and repeating phrases as children practise their growing language.
• Staff thoughtfully set up the environment to motivate children to explore and develop their skills. The manager leads their self-evaluation. They adapt areas, activities, and routines beneficially to ensure they provide an inclusive pre-school that can meet the changing needs of the children who attend. However, some staff do not always plan their focused group times as effectively as possible or support children's continued engagement and learning.
• Staff take time to involve children in daily tasks. Children confidently and independently place their coats and bags in their designated areas on arrival. They get changed into their outdoor clothing. Staff offer lots of encouragement and praise to the younger children to help them persevere with tasks, such as to peel their oranges at snack time. Children tidy away their things after meals, knowledgeably putting their items in the bin. They develop their independence and sense of responsibility very well.
• The manager works closely with staff and parents to outline and implement targeted programmes of support for children. They ensure that all children can reach their potential, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding.
• The manager shows dedication to the pre-school. She continues to bring in new ideas and approaches into their provision. She regularly observes staff practice, leads supervision meetings, and supports staff to undertake training. She leads the team well, and staff enjoy working at the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to plan focused group times as effectively as possible and to support children's engagement and learning consistently.