Niton Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children eagerly enter this stimulating setting with smiles and joy. Their independence skills are consistently strong. For example, children change their own shoes, as well as get their own water to drink from the fountain. They gather the toys they want to play with themselves.

Children are happy and excited to see their friends and staff. They are confident in social situations, with the oldest supporting the youngest. For example, children find their own names for snack time registration with little support. The older children help the younger children find their name on the board and help them to the snack table. Younger children are confident to ask staff for a drink.

Children behave extremely well. They listen and respond well to staff instructions and they follow daily routines effortlessly. For instance, the youngest children happily join in with a song about washing hands. After this, they take themselves to wash their own hands and sit at the table to wait for their lunch.

Children boldly articulate what they know and can do. They have a wide range of vocabulary, which helps build foundations for future learning. For example, in the construction area, they confidently tell their friends about the 'cylinders' of air that deep sea divers need to breathe.

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

• Practitioners offer a wide range of experiences that build children's curiosity and interest. As a result, children concentrate for long periods of time and they have consistently high levels of engagement in activities. For example, practitioners and children build a 'volcano' together. Children use buckets and spades to collect sand and tip it onto the pile to build the 'volcano'. Children say words such as 'fizz', 'pop', 'transform' and 'explode' to describe what they think will happen when the 'volcano' erupts. They work hard to finish the task and excitedly jump up and down giggling as they wait for the 'lava' to fall.
• Practitioners expertly support what children already know and can do. For instance, children use connecting bricks to make a game. Practitioners challenge children's thinking by asking them to explain the rules. Children quickly say that they are not allowed to go backwards. Children explain that it is the same when they play chess with their parents.
• Children have a love of books from an early age. This supports their early literacy skills. For instance, younger children sit in the book area. They turn the pages independently and talk to themselves about what they see, imitating reading a story. They continue with this for some time and are content in their chosen activity.
• Children enjoy caring, secure and attentive attachments with practitioners. Key persons plan a curriculum that supports children's individual needs. For example, children who are moving on to school take part in focus group time to help support them with listening and attention skills. This helps prepare them for the next stage in learning.
• Practitioners regularly help children to learn new skills. For instance, children concentrate on doing up the buttons as they dress dolls. After a long period of time, children attempt to do their own buttons on their top. Children smile and beam with pride when they achieve this.
• Practitioners receive regular training and feedback from leaders about their practice. This leads to improvements in teaching. However, leaders do not use inductions consistently to support staff when they first start at the setting. This means that new staff may not gain valuable feedback on their professional development. Staff are very appreciative of the support they receive from leaders, who focus on improving their well-being.
• Leaders have high ambitions for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting is an early help hub and supports families and the local community to access other services, such as referrals for portage or speech and language specialists. As a result, children and families have strong partnerships with other professionals that support the children in the setting, so that they thrive.
• Some children have healthy, balanced meals. However, this is not consistent for those with packed lunch boxes. Practitioners do not recognise when children's foods are not healthy. They do not effectively promote healthy choices to children or parents which results in poor meal choices for some children.
• Parents are eager to share their experiences of the setting. They praise the calm and caring environment practitioners offer. Parents say leaders are supportive when they have moved to the local area. They explain they have peace of mind as children settle quickly. Parents are appreciative of the regular updates online and in person about their children's day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• promote effective professional development consistently from the start of the induction process, to ensure new staff are fully supported
• develop staff practice to support children's and parents' understanding of healthy eating choices.