Pennington Village Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and ready to learn. They venture into the playrooms where staff greet them warmly. Staff provide a broad curriculum and an inviting environment, that reflects and promotes the skills they want children to learn next. Staff create activities that are interesting and ignite children's curiosity. For example, staff encourage children to explore and discuss the change in texture as they pour water onto dry sand. This helps children to develop positive attitudes towards their learning.

Children's physical development is well supported. Staff equip the outside and inside areas to enhance these skills. For example, children competently navigate the climbing frame outside and build towers with the bricks inside. This helps children to stay active and develop their gross motor skills.

Staff read books and sing songs enthusiastically. Simple sign language and singing helps to promote children's language skills well. It gives them opportunities to have a voice whilst speech is at an early stage and encourages children to practice new words. Communication skills are good and children are able to hold conversations with adults and their friends. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points.

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

• The new management team has a clear vision for the pre-school. They have implemented many changes since the last inspection and there is a drive for continuous improvement. The new management team place a strong focus on professional development. This helps to ensure staff provide the best opportunities for children.
• The committee has effective oversight of the pre-school governance and support arrangements for staff. They actively engage in new appointments and embed robust recruitment procedures. The committee is also involved in supervision sessions for staff to support their ongoing development. Staff feel supported and are keen to learn and report their well-being is good.
• Staff encourage children to adopt healthy lifestyles. For instance, children and staff take part in the 'minute mile' every day, walking around the school field to exercise. Staff help children understand the effect yoga and exercise has on their bodies. They support good oral health by providing fruit for snack time and helping children to brush their teeth after food.
• Children have opportunities to develop resilience. Staff set up activities designed to encourage children to think for themselves and be creative. For example, during block play, children concentrate when they build high towers, and when they fall down, they start again, making changes to their structures each time.
• Staff provide encouragement that motivates children to keep trying. For example, children problem-solve when they try to fit wooden fruit in the container in the role play area. They realise that the lid will not fit with three pieces of fruit. Children confidently, remove one piece and close the lid, smiling at their success.
• The new management team and staff devise a curriculum that is well-sequenced. They successfully builds on children's prior experiences and provides new opportunities to enrich learning further. For example, they take children on trips on buses and trains, to the local swimming pool and to pick strawberries. This also helps children to learn about the community in which they live. However, on occasion, when staff ask questions, they do not always allow children sufficient time to respond. This does not encourage children to always think for themselves.
• The new management team and staff actively work with parents and other agencies. This joined up approach helps ensure all children, including those with SEND, receive the support they need, at the right time. Information sharing is effective. For example, staff conduct home visits and gather knowledge from parents about their children. This helps staff to plan the curriculum to meet the needs of the children. Staff provide regular feedback about their children's progress. There are strategies in place, and resources available for children to take home. This helps to support parents to extend their children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff knowledge of questioning skills to allow children time to answer questions and think for themselves.