Pawlett Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager has implemented an ambitious curriculum, focusing on children's well-being, to underpin all their learning. Children soon settle and become independent, happy learners. They develop step by step until they become secure in their new skills and knowledge because staff plan effectively for their individual stages of development. For example, children persevere with practising their scissor skills. They then use them confidently when doing art and craft activities. Children are heard to exclaim, 'Look what I did', proud of their achievements.

Following their last inspection, staff now plan more effectively to enable those who prefer outdoor learning to have experiences in all areas of development. For example, they help children to understand cause and effect, such as the wind making their hair blow around. Children see what happens as they mix colours and learn which items float or sink in water. Staff successfully help children to remember their learning and make links. For example, while counting pea pods, they discuss having peas at snack and ways of getting them out of the pod. Outside, staff help them to remember a previous activity indoors, where they made 'silly soup' with items beginning with the same sounds. Children use this idea to make their pretend stew and create their own potions, extending their ideas further.

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

• The manager leads a happy team, who work together successfully to provide good-quality teaching and nurturing care. Staff have good opportunities to attend training and develop their practice to benefit the children. For example, through extending their knowledge of enabling environments, they have provided children with quiet spaces and installed equipment to lower noise levels, helping children to be much calmer.
• Staff focus well on successfully supporting children's language and communication skills. They engage children in good discussions, extending vocabulary and role modelling words, such as grating, popping and peeling, ensuring that children hear correct pronunciations. Children enjoy stories and are beginning to ask and answer questions. Staff listen and respond well to children, giving them time to think and speak.
• Staff promote children's health and safety effectively. They engage children in good discussions about healthy eating and encourage them to try new foods. Staff carry out important risk assessments and take appropriate action to minimise risks. For example, they sweep up spilt dried peas to prevent children slipping. However, they do not use all occasions to help children develop their awareness of managing risks for themselves.
• Children behave well. Staff sensitively help them to understand their emotions and have successful strategies to help them to share, such as using an egg timer. Children have strong attachments to staff and develop good relationships with each other. Through gentle encouragement, staff engage children well in group activities, so children eventually learn to listen and concentrate and are eager to take part.
• Staff work successfully with parents to ensure that children with special education needs and/or disabilities receive good support. The special educational needs coordinator ensures that they quickly seek any additional support and/or funding to help narrow any gaps in children's development. Staff provide a fully inclusive provision, where all children make good progress.
• The manager works directly with the children and the staff, providing good support, as well as an effective role model. She oversees the planning and implementation, monitoring the effectiveness of teaching. Staff support children well in mathematical activities, helping them to count and recognise simple numbers. However, they are not always as successful in supporting maths during children's free play to help them make even greater progress.
• The manager carries out full evaluations of their provision, seeking parents', staff's and children's views. This focuses their development plan for continuous improvements, such as staff and child well-being policies, welcome packs for parents and 'All About Me' picture books to use as a discussion aid with children. The committee provide good support, such as fundraising for training and equipment.
• Parents are very positive about the setting. They confirm the information they receive is comprehensive and enables them to consistently support their children's development at home. Staff have strong links with the local school, where most children eventually go. Parents confirm how ready and confident their children are to start school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help children to gain a greater understanding of identifying and managing risks for themselves
• focus staff development on using children's free play to support their mathematical development further.