Owl Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, safe and settled. They arrive confidently and quickly engage in play. Staff know children well and plan activities around their interests. This keeps children motivated and helps them enjoy learning.

Children behave well. They make choices in play and show independence in daily routines. They build strong relationships with staff and chat confidently with unfamiliar adults. Staff respond quickly to children's needs and offer a nurturing approach.

Children benefit from a rich and stimulating environment. They have access to farm animals and take part in seasonal experiences, such as hatching chicks and watching them grow. These opportunities spark curiosity and deepen children's understanding of the world.

The setting is well connected to the local community. Children enjoy visits from the police and fire services, which help them learn about people who help us and build their sense of belonging. Strong links with local schools help children feel confident and well prepared for starting school.

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

• Leaders encourage staff to take the lead on curriculum areas they are passionate about. This contributes to strong morale and a shared approach to practice. For example, a communication and language lead supports colleagues to strengthen practice in this area. This enables staff to support children with their communication and language skills.
• Staff deliver a curriculum that supports all areas of learning. They plan activities that build on children's interests and starting points. As a result, children are engaged and make progress across all areas of learning.
• Children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. Staff work closely with families and professionals to provide tailored support. This helps children stay focused and make good progress.
• Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. They use bilingual strategies and tailored interactions to help children settle and develop their communication skills. This helps children feel secure and make progress in their language development.
• Staff promote language development well. They model vocabulary and encourage children to express themselves through conversation, storytelling and play. This supports communication across all areas of learning.
• Children show positive attitudes to learning. They make choices in play, follow routines and show independence. They are confident and curious learners who enjoy exploring their environment.
• Children benefit from meaningful experiences that develop their understanding of the world. They observe animals on site, take part in seasonal projects such as hatching chicks, and engage with the local community through visits from the police and fire services. These opportunities help to prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Staff receive regular supervision and targeted training. Leaders give clear feedback and recognise strengths in teaching. However, teaching is not yet consistently strong across the whole team. Some staff do not extend children's thinking and learning. This means that children's progress is not consistently strong in all areas of learning.
• Parents and carers speak positively about the setting. They appreciate regular communication through online platforms, newsletters and daily handovers. They value the strong relationships staff build with children and families. Parents say that their children enjoy attending and gain the skills they need for school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the quality of teaching across the staff team so that children consistently benefit from opportunities to extend their thinking and deepen their learning.