Newtown Preschool and ABC Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders, managers and staff have implemented a curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. A clear focus is placed on developing children's communication skills. Staff read stories to younger children in a way that excites them. Children laugh as they enjoy books with staff; they beam with delight and repeat new words. Staff help older children create their own stories. They plan activities that spark children's imaginations. Children are thrilled as they hunt for a missing alien. Creativity is apparent as children create characters and settings. Children use tools such as rolling pins to create shapes from dough. Younger children make marks with chunky crayons and chalks, while older children skilfully use pens to write lists on a clipboard. Staff purposefully plan enjoyable activities to help develop the coordination and physical development needed for later writing.

Staff implement clear rules and routines. They have clear expectations of the behaviour they expect. This supports children to behave well. Children create strong relationships with staff and one another. They demonstrate emotional security as they confidently interact with each other. Children choose from an interesting range of activities and are keen to learn. Staff are good role models and want every child to thrive. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in this nurturing setting.

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

• Staff provide an inclusive environment for all children and value every child's uniqueness. They work in partnership with external agencies to make sure all children are well supported. Adaptations are made to benefit children with SEND. As a result, children are making good progress to move on to the next stage in their learning.
• Parents applaud the bespoke settling-in processes where staff get to know them and their children. They welcome opportunities to join in with their child's activities and talk with staff. Overall, parents are happy with the daily, face-to-face and online communication they receive about their child's day. However, information exchanged with parents does not always give clear information on how parents can best support children's learning and development at home.
• The curriculum does not fully promote children's awareness of how to access the internet safely. Managers have not yet considered ways to promote online safety to help keep children safe when they use online devices at home. Children and their parents do not always understand what to do if they identify any risks online.
• Children learn to keep themselves healthy and safe through routines and planned activities. They know to walk indoors and only run when outdoors. Children understand they need to wash their hands to remove germs after playing outside. Children learn to use cutlery to feed themselves and confidently pour their own drinks throughout the day. This enables children to become increasingly independent in their self-care needs.
• Staff establish a secure curriculum to extend children's physical skills. They encourage younger children to crawl and pretend to be animals. Outdoors, older children can jump and make climbing frames out of crates. This helps children to gain control of their bodies and to move with agility.
• Staff purposefully lead games that help children learn to listen carefully to instructions and follow rules. These opportunities are used to help children begin to self-regulate and talk about their emotions. This helps children to identify how they feel and empathise with the feelings of their friends.
• Staff engage in professional development opportunities in areas such as managing challenging behaviour and alternative methods of communication. This helps staff to identify ways in which they can improve practice further. For instance, they now give children more choices and use signs and pictures to aid communication. This has helped to create a harmonious learning environment.
• Staff teach children about the world around them. Children engage in first-hand experiences in their community, such as trips on buses and visits to the local park. This helps children to understand about the community in which they live.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further enhance support given to parents to help develop children's learning at home
• embed online safety into the curriculum so that children and their parents learn how to keep themselves safe online.