Peter Pan Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are nurturing and form strong bonds with the children in this bright and welcoming pre-school. This helps children to feel safe and emotionally secure. Staff make efforts to find out all about the children and their families when they first start, which helps children to settle swiftly. Staff support children to build on what they already know and can do and have high expectations for their progress. For example, children confidently recall aspects of previous learning, such as mixing blue and yellow paints and predicting the outcome. Children beam with pride as they receive praise for their predictions.

Children delight in their opportunities for outdoor play. They demonstrate good physical dexterity as they use wooden spoons, a water wheel and bake pretend cakes in the mud kitchen. Children laugh infectiously as they run up and down the hill, taking turns to negotiate the narrow space. Staff are enthusiastic and support children to use their large-muscle skills as they bang cymbals and dance to familiar songs. Staff's interactions with children are carefully considered. They give clear and consistent behavioural messages and model good manners and expected behaviours very well. Children become deeply engrossed in their play and are thoughtful and caring towards their friends.

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

• The manager is committed to providing a high standard of care and education for children in the local community. The pre-school prides itself on being an inclusive setting which welcomes children of all abilities. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are provided with tailored support and detailed individual plans. This helps them to make good progress.
• Staff are highly skilled at identifying children who may need extra support. They use targeted interventions provided by external professionals to help close any gaps in children's learning. The manager acts with integrity in using funding the pre-school receives by carefully selecting items she knows will be beneficial to children. For example, the manager has purchased a communication device button to support communication for all children. She also provides additional staff to create opportunities for one-to-one support. This helps children to succeed and reach their full potential.
• Children access a broad and carefully sequenced curriculum that helps to ensure that they embed skills across all areas of learning. Staff follow children's interests and carefully weave learning opportunities into their daily routine. For example, children enjoy playing in the role-play kitchen and converse amicably with their friends. Staff thoughtfully add a selection of real-life items such as packets of noodles, crackers and cartons for them to practise opening. This provides plenty of opportunities for children to develop their small-muscle skills in readiness for future writing.
• Children demonstrate a secure knowledge of the daily routine. For instance, during a well-organised lunchtime, children know to tidy up, wash their hands and sit at the table. They open their own lunch items, use cutlery effectively and dispose of their own rubbish. Staff support children to become increasingly independent so they are confident in managing their personal needs. However, staff do not consistently implement an effective healthy eating policy, to help promote children's awareness of good food choices. This does not help children to learn about healthy eating habits.
• The manager is highly appreciative of the staff and places a strong emphasis on their well-being. She has provided an impartial support line for any professional or personal concerns they may have, recognising that staff well-being has a big impact on children's learning and development.
• The manager is reflective and accurately identifies areas for improvement. She has implemented a regular programme of supervision and offers staff a choice of training to enhance their practice. However, she has not yet ensured training is sharply focused on the individual children's needs in order to enhance the quality of education provided. This means that training is not yet specific enough to effectively promote good outcomes for the children.
• Partnership working is a strength of the pre-school. Parents speak highly of the supportive staff team and comment on the significant progress their children make. Children benefit from excellent links with the local primary school and are well supported through visits and discussions, for their move on to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the teaching of healthy eating habits and good oral health to ensure this is consistently embedded across the pre-school
• target future training so that it is sharply focused on the individual children and improving the quality of education provided.