Peek A Boo Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff organise the inviting environment so children can freely choose what they wish to play with. They encourage them to complete their own outdoor risk assessments to help children begin to understand how to keep themselves safe. Staff have carefully considered how resources support children's development. For example, they provide varying types of bricks so that children can progress from simple construction to creating more intricate structures. Staff give clear instructions and children behave well. For instance, they wait patiently for their friends when it is time to go outside.

Staff arrange regular trips in the local area so that children can learn about their community and what is important to them. They excitedly re-enact their real-life experiences in a pretend supermarket. Staff model back-and-forth conversations as children decide how much items will cost. They extend children's emerging understanding of the meaning of written words. For example, staff point to words, and read them out, as older children tick off foods on their shopping list. They skilfully introduce mathematics as children play. For instance, staff encourage them to work out for themselves how scales balance. They ask questions such as, 'Why do you think it's going up and down?'. Staff offer children time to consider their answers and encourage them to speak more by listening intently when children eagerly express their opinions.

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

• The reflective provider has successfully addressed recommendations from the last inspection and built on these improvements. For example, she extended the outdoor area and added space for children to grow vegetables. This gives children a sense of responsibility and a deeper understanding of where their food comes from. Staff use more complex words, such as 'compost', to increase children's developing vocabulary.
• Staff feel valued and appreciated. They are fully involved in any changes in the pre-school and take part in regular supervisions and team meetings. Staff complete a broad range of professional development opportunities that directly benefit the children. For example, following behaviour management training, staff sensitively suggest strategies, such as deep-breathing, to help children manage their own emotions.
• Staff gather relevant information at the start to get to know their key children's unique needs and interests. They prioritise settling-in sessions to build bonds and support children's emotional security. Staff provide activities and resources that they know will interest and engage the children to help them make progress. There is also a 'choosing book' for children to request alternative resources. This allows all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who speak English as an additional language, to have the same opportunities to have their voices heard.
• The provider has built a curriculum that addresses the impact of COVID-19 on some children's learning and development. For example, they recognise that, in cases, there has been an increase in children's screen-time. Therefore, they plan experiences to spark children's natural urge to explore and be creative. However, in practice, staff occasionally over-direct activities and some resources limit children's free expression.
• The provider and the staff team work effectively with other settings to share information and promote continuity. They have a particularly strong partnership with the nearby school. Children are invited to events and engage with the reception class. This helps children become familiar with the school to smooth transitions.
• Parents' views are taken into account. For instance, they were recently consulted on how they would prefer to receive information. Parents praise the pre-school and say their children have a broader vocabulary and have grown in confidence since attending. However, on occasions, staff lack confidence to share their professional knowledge on subjects, such as toilet training, with parents. This, at times, means that children's care needs and growing independence are not consistently supported.
• Staff contribute to a wish list to suggest how to spend additional funding to meet their key children's needs They complete specific training to develop their understanding of how to work with children with SEND or others who may need extra support. The team work very effectively in partnership with other professionals and follow individualised programmes, when necessary. They regularly review these with parents and other agencies. As a result of these interventions, all children make progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further develop their understanding of the importance of promoting children's own ideas, imaginations and creativity
• strengthen the already positive partnerships with parents and review the support available for them to ensure there is a consistent approach to meeting each child's unique care needs.