Playdays Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children love coming to this safe and welcoming pre-school. They smile as they greet the friendly and caring staff. They separate from their parents with confidence and are eager to engage with the activities offered.

Leaders provide an ambitious curriculum with planned activities covering all areas of the early years foundation stage requirements. Staff prioritise children's language, communication and emotional development. They speak clearly to children and give them time to listen, think and practise speaking. Staff encourage children to fully engage with the learning opportunities. For example, in the garden, children happily use the climbing frame and expertly ride trikes, negotiating the spaces well. They challenge themselves to walk across large tyres and balance beams. Inside, they work together in the play kitchen and roll out play dough. They persevere to create a line of 'peas'. These activities help children strengthen and coordinate their muscles and movements.

Staff are excellent role models. They constantly show the children respect and have consistent routines and boundaries. This helps children know what behaviour is expected. This is particularly important to effectively support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

• Leaders and staff work together to plan activities that stimulate children's interests. For example, they provide a music area outside and have recently added a microphone to the resources. Children stand on crates and use the microphone to sing songs to their friends. Staff say that this has helped to increase children's confidence.
• Children's imagination is stimulated as they play in the mud kitchen. They collect different 'ingredients' such as mud, herbs and teabags to make 'delicious cakes'. They join in sensory activities, such as picture-making using herbs and playing with slices of oranges and lemons in the water tray. Staff tell stories about exotic fruit and introduce fruits such as pineapples to look at, taste and smell. This helps children experience a wide range of fruits, learn new words and explore similarities, differences and preferences.
• Young children play gently with 'babies', pretending to feed them and then draw pictures of babies on paper. This shows they are making connections in their learning. Children enjoy banging pots and pans hanging on the fence. They practise doing this loudly or quietly and imitate staff who make rhythms that are fast or slow. These activities are useful in developing early literacy skills. Children learn to distinguish differences in sounds as well as coordinating movements of their arms and hands.
• Staff promote children's independence skills well. For example, at snack time, children learn to pour drinks and cut up fruit. Hygiene routines are in place. For example, children have access to tissues to wipe their noses, but staff are not always consistent in noticing when some children need reminding about washing their hands or using the tissues.
• Children benefit from visits into the community. They walk to the library, the museum, the pet shops and the local café with staff. These experiences give children a sense of belonging and a wider knowledge of the diverse world around them. Leaders have strong links with local schools and have a school readiness programme in place to help children prepare for the move.
• Parents say that they are very satisfied with the pre-school and know what their children are experiencing everyday. They receive newsletters and see photos and progress reports through various online tools. There are regular opportunities to speak to their children's key person or the manager. Parents of children with SEND report that their children are well supported. For example, a 'now and next' board is used to see the plans for the day. Staff help all children make good progress.
• Leaders give staff opportunities to discuss their work though regular meetings. They organise any additional training requested. Recent training in emotional development has given staff more understanding about how to implement effective strategies to support children with different needs. Staff are committed and passionate about their roles. They reflect on their practice and continually strive to improve.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop ways to consistently support children who are learning hygiene routines.