Olney Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The pre-school prioritises the children's needs and development extremely successfully through a structured framework. Children thrive in the exceptionally well-resourced environment and through the support of a highly enthusiastic staff team. The leaders and staff work together to create an ambitious curriculum, which is evident in the children's development and learning. Regardless of children's background and/or special educational needs and/or disabilities, staff support children to reach their full potential.

The quality of teaching at the pre-school is outstanding, with staff meticulously meeting the children's needs. The curriculum incorporates organised activities, and the learning environment offers extensive opportunities for children to develop according to the planned curriculum.

Staff are extremely caring and attentive towards children. They assist children in making good choices and foster high standards, respect and kindness. Children take pride in their learning experiences and participate in various activities, such as writing their names with chalk on the ground in the outdoor area. Staff provide excellent support for children to help them learn expectations for behaviour. As a result, children behave exceptionally well. They form positive friendships and show kindness and respect towards each other. Children enthusiastically explore their environment and resources, showing eagerness to learn. For instance, they use the climbing frame, take turns, and manage risks. Staff support younger children in their transition by arranging visits to the pre-school room to help them become familiar with the new routines and environments.

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

• Staff are meticulous in implementing a challenging and broad curriculum to build on children's knowledge and support their continuous development. Leaders and staff regularly evaluate the quality of the curriculum they provide to ensure that they plan and provide activities and experiences that meet the needs of all children attending. As a result, all children are consistently engaged in meaningful learning.
• Staff know the children and what they need to achieve next to move on to the next stage in their learning. They swiftly identify gaps in children's learning and put targeted strategies in place to help those children catch up with their peers. As a result, all children make good progress in their learning from their starting points.
• Partnerships with parents are exemplary, promoting a collaborative approach to children's education. The team is welcoming and supportive, maintaining robust communication and parental involvement through daily feedback, regular meetings, termly parent conferences and an open-door policy. Additionally, information regarding activities that support learning at home is actively encouraged through the parent partnerships.
• Leaders closely monitor teaching quality and ensure staff have opportunities for professional development. Staff report feeling well supported. Leaders provide regular training to enhance staff's already excellent practice.
• Staff help children to learn about the world around them, including helping them to value and acknowledge different cultures. Children learn about different festivals and their meanings. They talk about different backgrounds and home traditions. They are able to access a range of resources reflecting different faiths and ethnic origins to extend their learning.
• The outdoor area is used exceptionally well by staff to provide children with a wide array of enriching learning opportunities. Children thoroughly enjoy their time outdoors and spend significant periods engaged in activities they choose. For instance, they work on their fine motor skills using various tools to make marks and trace numbers in the sand. They develop physical skills by climbing age-appropriate equipment and delight in riding toys as they navigate the pre-made road area.
• Staff cultivate a love of books and reading through shared storytelling sessions. For instance, children listen attentively while staff read familiar and cherished stories. Staff skilfully ask questions about the narrative, giving children ample time to think and respond. They frequently interact with children during activities to enhance both learning and communication skills. Additionally, children have the opportunity to borrow books from the lending library, fostering their confidence in communication and self-expression.
• Staff competently engage with children, offering many chances for critical thinking and self-expression. For example, when children used a net to pick up things in the water tray, they counted and matched the items. They enjoyed exploring further, using extensive speech and language with staff.
• Parents have observed considerable improvements in their children's communication and independence skills. For example, staff support children's speech development by introducing new vocabulary and posing questions, helping children to use complex language appropriately.