Nether Heyford Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and settle quickly at this home-from-home pre-school. They instantly engage in play as they seek out activities of their choosing, showing a positive attitude towards their learning. Children develop their physical skills as they stretch their bodies and climb over a rope obstacle course. Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their language. They constantly engage children in meaningful conversations during their play, teaching them letter sounds as they play on toy computers.

Children have secure relationships with staff and are friendly towards their friends and visitors. Children show pride in their work as they show staff a picture they have drawn. Children smile as staff praise them, raising children's self-esteem. Children use their imagination as they explore dressing-up clothes and use chairs to make a fire engine. They engage visitors in conversations and share their knowledge. For example, as they pretend to put the fire out, children tell visitors that if they see a fire, they know that they need to 'call the emergencies'. Staff teach children how to use safety knives as they chop fruit at snack time. Staff remind them to keep their fingers out of the way so they do not hurt themselves.

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

• Staff provide a curriculum that follows children's interests. Children are encouraged to make choices in their play and vote on what they do, such as if they have a story or sing songs at group time. Staff complete termly assessments to determine what next steps for learning they need to put in place to help children progress.
• Children with additional needs are supported well. The special educational needs coordinator involves parents in meetings. She shares strategies with them that they can implement at home to support their children's needs and refers to other professionals when needed. This allows children to make good progress in their learning.
• Parents speak fondly of the pre-school. They report that staff are proactive when it comes to supporting their children's needs. Staff share information with parents about their children's development and share ideas about how they can continue this at home.
• The pre-school staff have strong links with the local school staff. Children use the school's outside classroom and walk past school regularly on outings. Children confidently say hello to the school staff they see in the playground as they walk past while out on a walk. This helps them to become familiar with the school and build their confidence ready for their next stage in learning.
• Children learn about their community and the world around them in a number of different ways. As children walk around the village, staff encourage them to predict where they think certain animals could hide as they recite a familiar story. Staff introduce to children what a stream is when children say they see water. Children are friendly towards local residents, and staff teach children about road safety. Children listen carefully as they are reminded to look left and right to check it is safe to cross the road. Children say that they need to hold hands to stay safe.
• Children are starting to show awareness of what a healthy diet is. For example, they say that drinking milk makes their bones 'strong'. Staff provide healthy food and drink options at snack time. However, staff do not promote this as much as they could, to extend children's knowledge further.
• Staff encourage children to develop their independence as they support them to put their coats on. Staff praise children as they persevere in zipping up their jackets. Staff remind children to wash their hands before mealtimes. However, staff do not reinforce the importance of why they need to wash their hands, nor do they consistently promote this, especially when children use the toilet independently.
• Overall, children behave well. Children who require additional support to regulate their feelings are supported well by staff, who use consistent strategies with them. However, staff do not always give other children the same level of consistent messages regarding how they should behave. For example, children are not always reminded to walk when inside.
• Staff report that they feel supported by the manager. The manager carries out supervisions with the team, allowing them time to discuss their well-being and professional development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to promote children's understanding of good health even further
• ensure hygiene practices are consistently promoted throughout the setting
• support staff to embed behaviour expectations consistently for all children, to help them understand what is expected of them.