North Nibley Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children come in to this pre-school setting confidently and happily leave their parents at the door. With adults supporting them, they immediately settle into purposeful play with each other. Developing secure and trusting relationships with staff helps them feel safe. Adults' warm and positive interactions with children support them to engage and concentrate for extended periods of time.

The dedicated manager shows an excellent understanding of what she wants children to learn. Staff have planned and sequenced a curriculum for all children across the seven areas of learning to give them the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. As a result of conversations with the local feeder school, the pre-school has been able to improve its curriculum. For example, in order to ensure that children's physical development is progressively supported, staff plan activities for children to practise larger movements, such as using large brushes in circular motions. Children then progress to practising their fine motor skills needed for pencil control.

Children's behaviour is good. They understand the rules of the setting and enjoy taking part in most routine activities, such as tidy-up time. Staff remind children of the rules and why they are necessary. For example, a member of staff asks children at snack time why they should be sitting down when eating and children say 'in case we choke'.

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

• Children go on daily walks to the local area. They explore and talk about the environment, which develops a real interest in the world around them. They enjoy the larger space of a local sports field, where they regularly get opportunities to run around, play with hoops and footballs and chase bubbles. This helps children to develop their stamina as well as their strength, dexterity and large motor skills.
• Children engage in play and are purposeful in their exploration of resources. However, staff do not always develop children's mathematical skills effectively. Although they provide some opportunities for children to count and recognise numerals, specific activities are not consistently planned to develop children's skills even further in this area.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Staff adapt activities to meet their needs. They use sign language throughout the session to help those children with speech and language difficulties, which supports them to engage and learn. Staff regularly organise meetings with parents to discuss children's development plans, how they are doing and what their next steps should be. This keeps everybody's focus on the children's small steps of progress.
• Routines of the day are well embedded. However, staff do not notice if children become bored when waiting for each other. For example, when children are getting ready to go on their walk, some children have to wait for an extended period of time for others to be ready. This means that they wander around instead of making effective use of their time.
• Children seek adult support if they need it, but mostly are independent in their play and routines. For example, children ask for cuddles if they are feeling tired or sad, but happily go back to their play when reassured. Staff effectively use a mood board linked to a picture book, with characters to help children understand and talk about their feelings. For example, staff encourage children to move pictures of themselves during the session to show if there is a change in how they are feeling.
• The manager has high expectations for all staff and children. She knows the staff well and understands their strengths and areas for development. Regular supervisions give staff the opportunity to discuss the children and their own development which she quickly responds to. For example, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) identifies that training about how the education health care plan process would be beneficial and the manager acts on this. Separate 'well-being meetings' give staff the opportunity to talk about any worries or pressures they have that may affect their work.
• Relationships with parents are strong and they report that the setting makes a 'significant difference to their child's progress and development'. Parents report that staff adapt learning activities appropriately to meet the needs of all children. For example, parents like that their children with SEND have a 'sensory tepee' that they can sit in to regulate their feelings. Parents say 'the staff put the needs of the child first'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further develop children's understanding of mathematics through planned and sequenced activities
• review routines to help children stay actively engaged in learning at all times.