P.K. Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive and flourish in the care of the nurturing staff. They follow the arrival routines with exceptional confidence, including registering their name and hanging up their belongings without prompting. Children are extremely motivated to learn and demonstrate high levels of curiosity. For example, they add paint and lavender into their water play and investigate changes in smell, texture and colour formation. Older children pour water through colanders and funnels and discuss why there is a difference in the water flow. Their younger peers focus intently and show exceptional hand-eye coordination as they tip water into tubes. They use language such as 'full' and 'empty', which is remarkable for their young age.

Children play exceptionally together. They work highly effectively as a team to build a den in the garden and independently find the resources they need. Children demonstrate an admirable understanding of personal safety and discuss why they need to use safety equipment when using their pretend tools. Children show excellent imagination and turn their den into a doctor's surgery. Staff respond to children's ideas swiftly to help extend their learning exceptionally well. For example, staff introduced clipboards and pens to help support children's early writing skills. All children, including those learning English as an additional language and those with identified gaps in their development, receive an exceptional level of support. This helps to close gaps in their learning rapidly.

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

• Staff promote children's language and communication skills exceptionally well. They ensure books are readily available in all areas of the setting, which helps to build on children's love of stories. For instance, children find the props they need, to act out the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. They add sticks, bricks and water into their sand play and show excellent creativity as they build their houses. Children demonstrate high levels of self-assurance and recall the story in detail. Older children show kindness and consideration to others. They patiently give their younger friends time to speak and participate.
• Staff plan an exemplary curriculum. They use every opportunity to stimulate children's interest and increase their knowledge. For example, children make decisions together and select objects of interest as part of a memory game. Staff sensitively encourage turn-taking and promote children's listening skills. They skilfully adapt the activity so it reflects children's individual learning needs. All children make excellent progress from their starting points.
• Children develop an excellent awareness of healthy lifestyles. For example, they enthusiastically talk about their visit to the greengrocers to buy fruit and vegetables. They discuss how some fruit grows on trees and their different nutritional benefits. Children discuss the healthy options in their lunch boxes and talk about food that is good for their bodies. They learn new skills and take part in team games and sports activities on the school field. Children know to drink water to stay hydrated.
• Staff promote children's understanding of the local community exceptionally well. For example, children have wonderful opportunities to buy stamps and post letters at the local post office. They enjoy walks in the community to feed chickens and visit the local woodlands to explore nature.
• The experienced manager and staff put children at the heart of everything they do. They value the opinions of parents and seek their ideas to make improvements that significantly benefit children. For instance, parents worked together to improve the sensory garden for children. On the day of the inspection, children were seen looking through magnifying glasses and discussing patterns on shells. They used a periscope and were delighted to find a bird's nest in the trees.
• Parents comment extremely positively on the significant progress their children have made. They highlight the highly effective advice, support and encouragement provided to them by staff.
• Staff have an in-depth understanding of children's needs. This helps them to provide excellent support to all children so that they make outstanding progress. Staff attend significant amounts of training to continually enhance and develop their skills and knowledge to benefit children. They use funding exceptionally well to make sure all children reach their full potential.