Peanuts Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle well in this stimulating pre-school. Children have access to a broad range of activities that cover all areas of learning and meet their needs. They understand and follow clear routines to help them learn how to manage their own needs. Children join in at 'tidy-up time' and chat to each other confidently at snack time. When children first start, sessions are carefully considered to enable children to settle at their own pace. Staff gain detailed information about the children in order to support them from the outset.

Children are well supported by caring staff, who build on their existing knowledge and help them to make good progress. For example, children play with dough and fresh herbs. Staff talk to the children about how the dough and herbs smell. They mix herbs with the dough to make a pretend cake. Staff ask 'what can you do next?' and the children use the home corner to bake their cake. Children benefit from lots of opportunities to be physically active in the well-equipped outdoor play area. For example, children pour water into pipes and watch it flowing through, then jump in the puddles it has made.

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

• Leadership and management use their clear vision of the pre-school to create a supportive staff team. They have a good awareness of the training needs of the staff and provide useful staff development opportunities. Managers have reflected on the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the pre-school. They have made relevant changes to meet the needs of the children.
• Staff deliver the curriculum effectively. They have a robust understanding of what children need to learn next, and a clear awareness of how children develop and learn. However, at times, some children become restless and move on quickly from an activity because staff do not extend it to maintain their interest for longer periods of time.
• Children benefit from a strong focus on language and communication. Staff talk to the children during activities to develop their vocabulary. For example, as staff hold pipes up for the children to pour water into them, they ask 'shall I hold it higher or lower?' to introduce new language. However, at times, staff do not respond to children's spontaneous interests to help them to follow their own ideas and be more inquisitive.
• Staff have recognised the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the children's language and communication skills. As a result, staff have completed training in sign language. They use this, alongside spoken language, to help them communicate with the children.
• Staff hold daily circle times where children sit and eagerly discuss the weather and days of the week. They sing a song about the months of the year to help embed their learning. Children choose a story that staff read to them and children listen intently. A 'singing tree' is used to encourage children's use of language. They enjoy choosing a tag that hangs from the tree and they sing the song written on the tag together.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are looked after well. Staff have robust measures in place to manage the needs of these children. They have strong communication with parents in order to monitor their changing requirements.
• Staff promote children's independence skills throughout the pre-school in preparation for school. Children are supported to become independent in their toileting and follow good hygiene routines. For example, they wash their hands without help. They show determination to put their own shoes and coats on and are delighted when they have achieved this.
• Parents state that they are very happy with the education and care that their children receive. They appreciate updates throughout the day about how their children are. They like using an online system to keep up to date with children's progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop how staff respond to children's spontaneous ideas to enable children to be more inquisitive
• review the organisation of planned group activities in order to help all children to be more equally engaged at these times.