Orchard House Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are secure and confident in this welcoming pre-school. They are greeted by enthusiastic, caring staff and run in happily to explore and play with their friends. Children demonstrate positive attitudes and persevere at tasks. For instance, they build their physical skills when using smaller ride-on toys and then persevere as they move on to learn to use balance bikes. Children gain a practical awareness of differences. They exchange information about their family traditions and enjoy celebrating festivals that are relevant to them and to staff.

Staff are sensitive to the potential effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns. They maintained contact with all families during this time and prepared activity packs for parents and children to use at home. Children are becoming increasingly independent. They help tidy away after snack and competently fasten and unfasten their coats when going between outdoor and indoor areas. Children show care and consideration for one another. They notice when their friends are upset and comfort them, for example by passing them toys and resources. Children gain a good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. For instance, they use role play dentist equipment and discuss the importance of brushing their teeth for two minutes.

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

• The manager, staff and management committee work well together. They share their knowledge and skills, helping to ensure that all requirements are met and any additional funding is used effectively to support children's development. Staff report that they feel valued and supported. They complete additional training and share any new knowledge with their colleagues, helping to develop the pre-school further.
• Staff know the children well and understand how to help them take the next steps in their learning. For example, an 'emotions area' supports children in recognising and expressing their feelings. Children use mirrors to check their expressions and use a digital camera to record their emotions.
• The manager recognises that there is the potential for children to fall behind in their learning due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. She monitors children's progress well and staff offer additional support to children to develop their communication and social skills. This support also benefits children who speak English as an additional language, and all children make good progress.
• Staff observe children and quickly highlight any areas where children need further support. They work well with parents and other professionals to ensure that children's needs are recognised and they receive pertinent support to help them make good progress.
• Staff use children's interests well to help extend their learning. For example, they note that children are interested in building sites and create associated role play areas inside and outdoors. Children work together in the 'construction shed'. They measure and decide how to build a wall, and explain that they need to wear hard hats to protect themselves as building sites are dangerous.
• Children show a love of books and reading. Staff read with animation, capturing children's attention. Older children become engrossed as they listen to a story outside. They join in eagerly with the words and use their imaginations as they pretend they are walking through long grass and deep mud.
• Staff support children in remembering what they have learned. For instance, when children talk about recent farm visits, staff help them remember the chicks they hatched. Children develop their language skills as they recall the life cycle and discuss how the chicks were re-homed when they left the setting.
• Parents report that they are very happy with the pre-school and appreciate the good communication. They feel that staff understand their children and support parents well, for example with approaches to managing behaviour and ideas for activities to build on what children have been learning.
• Staff are clear about the intention of activities. They generally support children well so that their development is promoted and they enjoy participating. However, on occasion, staff do not challenge children sufficiently and encourage them to fully develop their play and think critically.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further enhance children's play, for example through fully extending children's chosen play and encouraging them to think critically and solve problems as they encounter them.