Playdays Preschool 5 @ Warren Hall

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this extremely nurturing and caring nursery. Children approach activities with enthusiasm and excitement and are eager to learn. There is a sense of purpose and focus all around the nursery. Children investigate using tools, and learn what each tool is and how to use them safely. They use bricks to build with and demonstrate how they would use each tool to construct their buildings.

Children are confident and proud of their achievements. They pretend to do the laundry, skilfully pegging the washed clothes on the line. Children then explain that they need to iron them so that they do not have any creases. Children pretend to make pizzas. They share them with staff and visitors and are proud of their creations. They let staff know that their 'pizza' is pepperoni flavoured. Children demonstrate good behaviour. They show kindness and consideration for each other, and this results in high levels of well-being.

Children are building independence. They clear up after they have finished having snack. They scrape their own bowls and pour their own drinks. Children have a true sense of belonging. Most children know the rules and boundaries and why they are in place.

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

• Staff provide an ambitious and well-planned curriculum that keeps children engaged and focused on their learning. Staff know how to move children on in their learning and this results in children making good progress. For example, staff scaffold their learning when children are learning to climb up the climbing frame. They hold their hand and support them until they have mastered it, and are confident to try by themselves.
• Staff support children to understand the rules and boundaries of the pre-school. They encourage the children at the beginning of the day to point to a photo of a rule and say what it means. Children are learning how to manage their emotions and express themselves in a positive way. For example, children use play dough to mould happy and sad faces. However, there are occasions when staff do not consistently reinforce expectations, for example, the rules of games and the expectation that children walk when inside.
• Children make good progress in their ability to be independent. This results in high levels of confidence. Children wash their hands in preparation for snack. They select their cereal, pour their own drinks and tidy away after themselves. Children confidently select what they want to do and staff skilfully adapt activities following the children's interest. Staff empower children to carry out small tasks and give them praise for the smallest achievements.
• Staff support children's language development. For example, children take part in a 'bucket game'. Staff pull an object out of the bucket and children state what it is. Children listen with excitement and anticipation to the instructions as they wait to say 'go' and 'stop'. Staff listen carefully to children and wait for them to respond to questions. They repeat words and sentences back reinforcing the correct pronunciation.
• Staff support children's mathematical development. They use a tape measure to measure how tall their towers are. They ask the children to look at the tape and say what the number is. For less able children, staff ask if something is bigger or smaller. This contributes to the skills that children need to support their future learning.
• Children make good progress from their starting points, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is an asset to the pre-school. She sensitively supports the children and has high expectations of what the children can achieve. She provides stimulating and targeted activities, working closely with parents and other professionals to meet children's individual needs. The SENCo builds on what the children already know and prepares them for the next stage of their learning.
• Leaders are committed to providing the very best care and education for children. They have robust systems in place to monitor staff practice and hold regular supervision meetings. Staff report that their morale and well-being is high, and that they feel very well supported and part of a team.
• Leaders and staff develop good partnerships with parents. Parents say they would highly recommend the pre-school and say their children are making good progress. Parents are kept fully informed of their children's progress and any changes within the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently reinforce the rules and boundaries of the setting, so children fully understand expectations.