Newton Longville Pre-school and Extended Services

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff work closely with parents to support children to settle at the pre-school. Children are welcomed by friendly staff and quickly ease into the routine. For example, they happily explore the activities that staff have planned for them. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They build close relationships with staff and go to them if they need comfort or support.

Staff are good role models. They have high expectations for children's behaviour and development. Children behave well, know the routine and understand what is expected of them. For example, children know that when the bell rings, they need to stop and listen. Children join circle times to help build their social skills and interactions with peers. Children play well together and start to build secure friendships.

Promoting independence is a strong focus at this pre-school. Staff encourage children to manage their needs at all opportunities. Children pour their own drinks, choose the food they would like and serve their own snack using tongs. Once they have finished eating, they clear their spaces and wash their plates and cups in washing-up bowls. This helps children gain skills they need for the future.

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

• Leaders devise an ambitious curriculum that is regularly reviewed to meet the needs of the children attending. The dedicated staff implement the curriculum effectively across the pre-school. Leaders and staff regularly evaluate the pre-school and the activities that are provided for children and adapt these accordingly. However, although staff recognise that children have access to technology, they have not yet considered how they can support children to stay safe online.
• Children are prepared well for school. Staff organise separate group times to meet the needs of children of different ages. They enthusiastically read and sing with the children. This means children stay engaged and focused on the activity taking place. Children are independent and confident learners, and they display a positive attitude towards their learning.
• Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. Staff recognise when quieter children need support to join in with activities and plan small-group games to encourage these children to socialise with their peers. Staff have designed an area for children to go to should they need quiet time and to help children regulate their emotions.
• Mathematics is incorporated well into all activities. Staff encourage children to count during their play. For example, children enjoy listening to well-known number rhymes, such as 'Five Little Speckled Frogs'. Staff use books to support the children's learning. Children order numbered lily pads and count the correct number of frogs. Staff ask them questions, such as 'Which is more or less?' This helps to challenge children's thinking.
• Communication and language are supported well. Staff talk to children while they play and give them time to think and respond. They ask children questions to extend their thinking and encourage them to solve problems. Children enjoy listening to stories. During role play, children fill in the 'optician's' chart and ask relevant questions. Staff talk to children about the role of the optician and the dentist.
• Children's physical development is supported well. The garden areas are designed to give children the opportunity to explore. Children excitedly ride bikes around the pretend road. Staff plan walks around the neighbourhood to help children learn about the area they live in. They use these walks to look and teach children about season changes. Indoors, children and staff enthusiastically take part in a dancing session. This helps children to develop control and coordination of their bodies.
• Staff monitor children's progress to help them recognise any delays in their development. They seek advice from other agencies when necessary, to ensure that children receive any support in the quickest time possible.
• Parents speak highly of the pre-school and staff. They comment on how excited their children are to attend. Staff provide parents with regular communication about the activities the children do. However, staff do not always update parents on the specific skills their children are learning, to enable them to support their learning at home. This does not enable parents to support children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the curriculum to ensure that children have opportunities to learn how to stay safe online
• strengthen how information is shared with parents to further support their children's learning at home.