Penrith Pre-School Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are safe at this nurturing pre-school, which follows an ethos of celebrating the individual. They develop strong bonds with staff, who welcome and encourage them throughout the day. Children talk excitedly about seeing their friends and play happily together. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They help children to take turns and think about what makes their peers happy or sad. This helps to provide a calm atmosphere for children to play and learn. Children are busy explorers. Younger children experiment with rolling pinecones as staff talk to them about texture. Older children strengthen small muscles in their hands as they cut fresh herbs and slice lemons. Children enjoy these sensory activities and begin to build focus as they concentrate for longer periods of time.

Children respond quickly to staff when it is time to gather for snack or stories. They listen carefully to what staff say, helping to choose which book or song they would like. They learn new words as they sing and identify vegetables in a favourite book. Staff relate their learning to experiences with their families. For example, they link making pizza to visiting a restaurant. This helps to promote a sense of belonging and community. Some children also benefit from small group 'time to talk' sessions, which became a focus for increasing social confidence after periods of isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

• Leaders plan a curriculum that includes meaningful experiences across all areas of the early years curriculum. Staff think carefully about what each new group of children would benefit from. For example, they plan trips to the library and invite readers from both genders to read to the children during pre-school. This helps to inspire a love of reading.
• Staff purposefully model language as children play. They model their thinking aloud. For example, they say, 'I wonder what they are doing now? Maybe they are shopping.' This helps teach children the language of thinking. However, staff do not always expect children to give their own suggestions or explain cause and effect. This does not help children to develop their own reasoning skills.
• Staff know all children and their families very well. They monitor children's progress with parents and promptly identify any difficulties children may have. When difficulties are identified, staff tailor activities to help children progress. Early help is prioritised, and staff liaise with outside agencies to seek necessary support. This ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress from their individual starting points.
• Children learn about health and well-being. They exercise outside each day. Staff teach them to notice the effect that exercise has on their bodies. Furthermore, staff talk about staying healthy. They demonstrate how germs spread using paint on children's hands and emphasise the importance of washing hands. Children develop a good understanding of looking after their bodies.
• Parents appreciate the home-learning bags that staff send. They say that each one is different and specific to what their child needs to know or learn to do next. For example, a game and a book encourage children to practise counting amounts. This joined-up approach helps all children to be ready for their next stage of learning.
• Leaders are aware of the pressures on staff and look after their well-being. The team work very well together, suggesting ideas and talking about the areas of the curriculum they teach. For example, staff recently completed training to support physical development. They shared their learning and helped plan an activity where younger children practise large movements while painting outdoors. Furthermore, the manager mentors staff and carefully selects courses to deepen their understanding. As a result, staff are enthusiastic, and teaching of the curriculum improves over time.
• Funding for children is spent promptly and is focused on individual needs. For example, a dance teacher was brought in to develop creative expression and confidence for a group of children. This helps to ensure children, particularly the most disadvantaged, do not fall behind their peers in various areas of their development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further extend the modelling of thinking skills to help children begin to verbally reason for themselves.