Nic Nac Pre-School Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children at this pre-school are exceptionally happy. The leaders are passionate about early years and committed to providing children with the best possible start. Children arrive excited to join their friends, and staff greet them with a warm welcome. They understand and easily follow the clearly embedded routines and settle immediately, ready to learn. Leaders and staff are fantastic role models, and children reflect their kindness and excellent manners. All children have an outstanding attitude to learning.

Leaders establish a clear curriculum and plan high-quality experiences for children. They strongly emphasise developing children's communication and language skills. Children enjoy exciting learning environments, which enhance their learning, resilience and curiosity. Fantastic outdoor play opportunities are a key strength. For example, children explore a bug hotel to reveal worms. This captivates children as they watch them wriggle. Children quickly understand that when they use a magnifying glass, the insects will appear bigger. Staff are superb in helping children to recall their earlier learning. As children settle to listen to 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' story book, they confidently remember new vocabulary, such as 'camouflage'. Staff carefully introduce new words through the story, such as 'flutter'. They encourage children to copy and practise the action and 'flutter' like butterflies. Children enjoy an enormous variety of activities to support their learning. They plant sunflower and cress seeds so they can observe their growth. Staff meticulously plan activities that allow children to explore and investigate the natural world. Children pick flowers and use stones on large pieces of fabric to crush flower petals. Staff support children in describing what they can smell and see. Children are inquisitive and make predictions about what might happen. They confidently discuss the fragrances and colours they create on the fabric's surface.

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

• Leaders work tirelessly to develop the pre-school and achieve the highest quality of care and education. They are incredibly reflective, continuously reviewing the quality of provision and identifying further ways to enhance it. The staff value the support leaders provide them, as well as the excellent training and professional development provided. Staff interactions with children are of a high quality. They listen to children and pose thoughtful questions, encouraging them to describe their play and extend their learning.
• Children's personal, social and emotional development is excellent. The relationships built between children and their key person are exceptional. Children benefit from spending time with their key person in small groups during registration and other activities. Staff know children exceptionally well and support their individual needs. The secure emotional bonds children develop with their key person allow them to flourish.
• Children show considerable levels of independence and readiness for their transition to school. They have responsibilities in their role as helpers for the day. Children practise removing and putting on their shoes after yoga and changing their clothes. They access the snack trolley independently and self-serve. Children collect a beaker, select fruit and turn a tap to fill their beaker with water from a large container.
• Children have excellent opportunities to develop physical skills, enjoying considerable outdoor time. They push wheelbarrows, balance on tyres and climb and jump to strengthen their large muscles. Staff expertly guide yoga sessions that provide fun opportunities for children to strengthen their core muscles and follow instructions. Children listen intently, remain purposefully engaged throughout and thoroughly enjoy the experience.
• Children are highly skilled at using tools to develop their small muscles. They use pencils to draw treasure maps and small spoons and scoops to fill buckets with sand. Further activities, such as picking up small-world minibeasts with tweezers, increase children's dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
• Leaders and staff go above and beyond to prioritise partnerships with parents. Staff warmly greet children before each session and talk with parents about any concerns. Parents speak enthusiastically about the in-depth feedback and extended conversations that happen. They regularly meet with their child's key person to discuss progress and explore ways to support them at home, such as providing lyrics to help sing nursery rhymes. Parents praise the staff team's 'dedication and marvellous commitment'.
• Provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is excellent. Staff quickly identify children who require additional support. Those who lead on SEND work closely with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to create highly effective target plans for children. Children with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes.
• Staff skilfully weave mathematics through activities and experiences. Children learn to count in everyday situations, developing their skills and confidence. For example, children count their friends at register time, and during yoga, they count the number of breaths as they hold a position. Staff challenge children to reach 'taller and taller' to develop their understanding further as they play.
• There is a strong emphasis on fostering a love of books. Books are readily available for children to explore, read independently and access during play. For instance, children can read books outdoors in the garden. Some books, such as those about seeds and minibeasts, are chosen to introduce new vocabulary that links to current learning.