Pavilion Pre-School (Aigburth) CIO

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Managers are ambitious and passionate about providing high-quality care and education. They provide a welcoming and nurturing environment. Staff have formed close bonds with their key children. They are positive role models to children. For example, they encourage children to show respect for each other. Children are happy and extremely settled here. They behave very well. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Staff plan a wide range of stimulating activities. Children are motivated and excited to learn as soon as they arrive in the morning. This helps children gain a thirst for learning from an early age.

Children experience a variety of stories, rhymes and songs which help them develop a wide vocabulary. Staff bring stories to life and enthuse children to join in with language and actions. A lending library supports families to share stories at home with their children. This helps children gain a love of books.

Children plant a range of fruit and vegetables, such as pumpkins, leeks, radishes and strawberries, in the garden. They are taught how to care for the plants as they grow. Children taste the food that they have helped to grow. This helps children gain a deeper understanding of life cycles.

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

• Leaders provide staff with a clear curriculum that helps children build on what they know and can do. Staff follow children's lead in play and build on their emerging interests. There is a strong focus on learning through stories. Children are engrossed as they act out books using puppets and props. Staff skilfully engage children in learning. This helps children develop the listening and attention skills they need for their next stage in learning.
• Staff support children's developing communication skills at every opportunity. They enthusiastically join in children's role play to teach them about the role of a shopkeeper. Staff model language well to extend children's pretend play. This supports children's language development.
• The key-person system is effective. Staff have a good knowledge of their key children and how to support their learning and development. They plan appropriate next steps for children which are shared regularly with parents. This helps children make good progress in their learning.
• Parents are extremely positive about the care and learning their children receive. They comment how happy they are with the pre-school. Parents praise the pre-school for providing a home-from-home environment. Leaders work closely with the local school and other professionals. This builds on the strong partnerships to support children's learning.
• Children gain a deep understanding of diversity and inclusion. Staff invite parents to share cultural traditions with children. Children engage in a variety of learning experiences to develop their understanding of different festivals. They learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. This helps children understand what makes themselves and their friends unique.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) helps staff to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The SENCo communicates with key persons and parents to provide updates and share agreed targets. The SENCo liaises with other relevant professionals and local schools to ensure the best possible provision for children with SEND. She knows how to make timely referrals to outside agencies. This helps to ensure that children receive the right support.
• Children have copious opportunities to be physically active. They set up their own assault course in the outdoor area. Younger children balance along planks and carefully climb up and down on the crates. Older children ride around the outdoor area on bicycles. This helps to strengthen children's large-muscle movements and supports children's developing physical skills.
• Staff describe how their well-being is looked after. They access courses to keep their professional development up to date. However, current supervision arrangements are not fully effective in ensuring staff have a clear understanding of how they can improve further in their role.
• Overall, children's independence is supported. However, there are times when staff complete tasks that children are capable of attempting. For instance, staff sometimes remove children's coats and hang them up. This does not consistently help children to develop independence.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• implement effective supervision arrangements so staff have clear targets to support and improve the quality of their practice
• extend children's independence skills, particularly when they are capable of carrying out tasks themselves.