Playmates Pre-School (Raunds)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and enjoy their time at this friendly pre-school. They settle quickly and engage well in activities of their choosing, showing a positive attitude towards their learning. Children develop their physical skills as they explore the well-resourced garden. They confidently jump on a trampoline, shouting to their friends, 'look at me!' Children enjoy splashing in water trays and learning how different objects float or sink. Staff encourage children to join in story telling as they lie in the shaded book corner in the garden. This supports children to develop their imagination, as well as their communication and language skills.

Children are friendly towards their friends, staff and visitors. They encourage visitors to join them as they explore potted plants, saying 'be careful, the leaves are spikey'. Staff teach children how to stay safe as they show them how to hold onto a rope swing safely so they don't fall off. Children react positively to staff as they are encouraged to share. Staff promote children's self-esteem as they offer them praise for their efforts when they proudly show them paintings they have completed. Staff are positive role models and encourage children to try things for themselves. For example, children are encouraged to peel their own oranges and pour their own drinks at snack, helping them to develop their independence. Children show their awareness of how they can stay healthy, as they state 'water is healthy'.

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

• Since the Covid-19 pandemic, staff report that some children need more help with their emotional development and communication and language skills. The management team reflected on their curriculum, focussing on supporting these areas of development. This allows staff to bridge any gaps in children's learning quickly. Staff observe children and use their interests to plan a variety of stimulating activities. For example, children enjoy exploring the textures and smells of flowers in water. They use their imagination as they pretend to make tea for their friends.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and English as an additional language, are supported well. Staff use words such as 'mum' in their home language, alongside the English word, to support the children to develop their understanding. The management team use additional funding appropriately. Staff work alongside other professionals and assist children to reach targets identified on support plans. This enables all children to make good progress in their learning.
• Parents report they are happy with the pre-school, saying staff do a 'wonderful job'. Staff share what children are learning and advise parents on how they can carry this on at home, by giving advice on potty training, for example.
• Staff know their children well, and generally have good awareness of what they wish children to learn during activities. Staff encourage children to develop their mathematical skills by counting bricks during a key-group activity. Staff omit numbers to see if children realise. Children giggle, saying 'that's not right', as they realise staff miss out the number nine, shouting 'it's 10 next!' However, staff do not always further children's learning by extending activities and daily interactions, therefore enabling the children to build on what they already know and can do.
• Children enjoy looking at different animals they find in the garden, learning about nature and the world around them. For example, children found a grasshopper. Staff encourage them to think where they can safely place it in the garden. Staff take children on regular walks outside of the pre-school. This enables children to develop awareness of what is happening in their community.
• Overall, children behave well. Staff teach children about different emotions and feelings as they read stories during group time. Children develop their own system when it comes to turn taking. They count up to 21, with support from staff, and know that when they reach this number, they will share their toys. Staff react quickly and support children when they have minor disagreements. However, staff do not teach children how their feelings and behaviours can affect others.
• The management team help staff to develop their practice, as they provide feedback, observe practice, and complete supervisions. Staff report they feel supported by the management team. The pre-school has strong links with the school on their site. They use their facilities so children become familiar with them. This helps to prepare children for their next stage in learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to further improve their interactions with children during planned activities and daily interactions to extend children's learning, building on what they already know and can do
• build on behaviour strategies to help all children enhance their understanding of how their feelings and behaviours affect others.