Paint Pots Preschool @ St Marks

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children very happily say goodbye to their parents and carers and confidently enter the pre-school. They show an excellent understanding of the routine as they happily hang up their bags and coats.

Children benefit from an exciting curriculum which has been specifically designed to meet their individual needs. They are learning to be extremely independent and to be effective communicators. Children listen to staff and their peers attentively. Children display excellent behaviour. They listen carefully and show great determination when making a house from different-size cardboard boxes. Children enthusiastically use all of the available resources to replicate doors, windows and chimneys. Staff skilfully extend children's curiosity by encouraging them to look at the houses around the pre-school and make comparisons to their own models.

Children very frequently hear new words as staff develop their vocabulary at every opportunity. Staff provide excellent commentary during children's play. For example, children are encouraged to express how ice 'melts' and how it is 'freezing' on their hands.

Children are eager to help to keep the playroom tidy and safe. They relish the opportunity to assist staff with tidying tasks. Children rush to help wash the play dough table and empty the painting tray before lunchtime.

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

• The manager has developed an exceptionally strong staff team who are dedicated to providing the best care and education for children. The highly passionate staff are skilled at identifying early developmental concerns. Staff work with other professionals to ensure first-rate early intervention.
• Staff have high expectations of all the children. They skilfully assess children's levels of development. Staff use this to expertly provide stimulating activities that build on what children already know and can do.
• The manager has a rigorous training plan in place for staff so they can constantly update their already excellent practice. For example, targeted training has helped staff to deepen their understanding of how to support children with their auditory and talking skills. Staff use the knowledge they have learned in their exemplary practice, such as giving children ample time to answer open-ended, targeted questions.
• Children are highly inquisitive. They show a very keen interest in finding out how things work, such as investigating threaded material through plastic crates. They pick up the crates, turn them upside down and laugh with peers as they work it out. They then replicate the patterns themselves, displaying great pride when doing so.
• The inspirational manager provides great support to all her team. She is passionate about evaluating the pre-school with all the staff and she appreciates and values their input. Staff are encouraged to continuously develop their skills and excellent teaching practice as the manager feels there are always improvements which can be made. Staff regularly observe each other and encouragingly share examples of good practice. Regular, supportive team meetings ensure staff feel extremely valued and supported in their roles.
• Parent partnership is an extremely strong priority for the pre-school. Parents are unanimous in their praise for the staff team and the high standards of teaching across the pre-school. For example, a parent commented that 'staff treat the children as if they are their own'. Staff have extensive discussions about the well-being and achievements of children each day. This is reinforced by the use of digital media, which parents greatly appreciate and value.
• Children are extremely well supported to understand how to keep themselves healthy through different activities. For example, they excitedly take part in a music-and-movement session. Children join in with lyrics and actions, squealing with laughter as they do. Some children hold hands with peers and encourage them to follow their movements and facial expressions.
• Parents of children who speak English as an additional language are asked to give details about their family's language, home life and cultures. This is so staff can then celebrate these cultures, languages and events. Parents give staff key words in their home language to aid the staff to communicate with the children, so these children are given the same opportunities as all the other children.