Play B C Preschool

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders have not ensured that all staff consistently adapt their teaching appropriately. For example, leaders know the strategies they want staff to use for all children to support language development. However, they do to not provide enough support for staff to be able to use these strategies consistently and confidently. This limits the progress of some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders identify children who may need additional help from external partners to support learning. However, not all staff are able to adapt these strategies to support children's learning.

Staff identify when children are developing at different rates. They consider children's emerging and changing needs when planning routines and selecting age-appropriate resources. Staff with responsibility for children with SEND receive training on different approaches to support them. These staff deliver strategic support to children. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged children receive additional resources they need to support their learning.

Leaders have reflected on their approach to sharing what children know and can do with parents and carers. They have introduced more detailed practices for identifying next steps. This helps parents to understand the skills that children are working on and extend their learning at home.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders attempt to create a curriculum that is designed to support children's development both inside the pre-school and outdoors. Staff observe children and assess their development and achievements, outlining skills that children need to learn next. Leaders have a vision for high-quality interactions across the pre-school to promote children's learning across all areas. However, staff implementation of the curriculum and their teaching are not consistent. Leaders' ambitions for improving this are appropriate. However, the plans for implementing these are not yet clear. It is too soon to determine the impact of this work.

Leaders support staff to focus on children's emotional and social development. This helps children to feel safe and ready to learn. The curriculum recognises and celebrates diversity and helps children to reflect on what makes them unique.

Staff support children to develop skills such as counting and measuring. Children enjoy exploring different containers and objects and solving problems. Staff give children praise and encouragement. Children feel excited to share their new knowledge with others.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not always understand what to do or how to answer questions as not all staff use the specialist approaches outlined in the curriculum. While some children engage in positive and useful interactions with staff, they do not all benefit from the same high-quality teaching of communication skills from all staff. This impedes the ability of children, including those with barriers to their learning, to be well prepared for school. Children enjoy taking part in activities across the 7 areas of learning and development. Staff find out what they know and can do and plan activities that help them to work on skills. Children benefit from the work leaders do to help their families understand their learning. This helps children to extend their learning at home. This includes children whose families face barriers to communicating with the pre-school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

All staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and attitudes to learning. These expectations are commonly understood by staff, parents and children. Staff take action to support children who need extra help to feel emotionally secure and safe. They consider children's individual needs to adjust routines to help them feel ready to learn. Staff teach children to be kind to others so that children play happily alongside one another.

Staff consider how to teach children focus and attention skills, including those with gaps in their learning. Staff consider the individual needs and circumstances of children and actively work with other agencies to serve children's best interests. Children play cooperatively with one another, and staff give praise to reinforce children's positive behaviour. All children behave positively.

Leaders have identified that some children and families need more support to help promote attendance and punctuality. They use effective tracking of attendance to anticipate and prevent children from being absent and falling behind in their learning. Staff communicate policies to parents effectively so that everybody is clear on policies that promote attendance. Staff provide information for parents about the links between children's attendance and the impact this has on their learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Staff do not consistently implement policies that encourage children to play outside. Children do not all have sufficient opportunities to take risks and meet challenges as they play outdoors with their friends. This limits children's ability to develop positive attitudes to exercise.

Staff create a safe and welcoming environment where children can socialise. Children enjoy playing with their friends. Staff role model effective ways to resolve conflict and be kind. They form strong attachments with individual children that help them feel secure. Children feel comfortable to speak to key staff about life events or worries. They learn to recognise and express emotions in healthy ways.

Staff support children to make healthy choices about food and hygiene practices. Staff reinforce children's good manners at key times during the day, for example mealtimes. Staff adapt routines to support children who need additional help to feel settled. Staff consider children's experiences at home when bringing children into the pre-school. For example, they find out about children's eating and sleeping habits. Staff are flexible when children need to rest or eat at different times. Children feel a strong sense of security and safety.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have taken steps to focus on areas of development at the pre-school. However, these plans lack precision. For example, opportunities for staff to develop their teaching of speaking skills are not yet clear. Actions to improve opportunities for children to develop physical skills are not sufficiently targeted. Not all staff are yet able to carry out their roles successfully to support children's learning in these areas.

Overall, leaders make decisions in the best interests of children. This includes working with parents to understand the individual care needs and routines of children. They consider the additional support disadvantaged children may need to access the curriculum.

Leaders organise professional development opportunities for staff. Staff who have received training to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities use this knowledge to plan additional support for children. This helps children to develop their focus and attention skills.

Leaders carry out regular supervisions with staff to identify any issues or concerns regarding their workload. They have suitable induction processes to help new staff to understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff report that they enjoy working at the pre-school.