Playshack

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show a positive attitude to their learning. Children are happy and secure and supported extremely well to settle at the setting. For example, new children and parents meet staff outside pre-school to go on trips to collect things from the park to bring back to make pictures. This allows children to become familiar with staff before they join. Children greet each other and staff with smiles when they leave their parents, some curious to ask where their friends are. Staff have high expectations for all children. Children independently select their chosen activity from the thoughtfully planned and varied curriculum. There is a strong emphasis on developing children's language and personal, social and emotional skills.

Children behave extremely well. They quickly learn the pre-school routines and the simple rules that are in place for their safety. Older children confidently talk about these rules and can self-regulate many aspects of their behaviour. For example, children keenly share wheeled vehicles as they play together and work cooperatively to build roadways for vehicles using large wooden bricks. This is because staff are good role models. Children are independent and enjoy helping to carry out small, simple tasks. Children benefit from being cared for by well-qualified and experienced staff. The atmosphere is calm and productive. Children play together with great concentration.

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

• The manager is a good leader. She has an ambitious curriculum and vision for the pre-school. She has a clear overview of the curriculum and monitors its effectiveness. She reviews children's progress, ensuring staff know what the children can do and need to learn next. As a staff team, they identify where children may be falling behind and take action to help them keep up. Therefore, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who speak English as an additional language, make good progress.
• Children are busy and motivated learners. They engage well in a range of play and activities, many of which support their good language development. Staff are effective at supporting children's developing language skills as they join children in their play. As children progress, they develop into confident talkers and communicators. However, at times staff ask children questions in quick succession without giving the children time to answer. This can limit their language development.
• Children are supported well to develop a love of books. Staff provide cosy reading areas, where children handle books with care. Children eagerly take books home to share with their parents. This supports the development of children's early reading skills.
• Staff support children's early mathematical development. Children eagerly count how many plates they need at snack time and who is here today.
• Partnership with parents and other professionals is good. Staff encourage parents to be a part of every aspect of pre-school life from when their child starts. Parents say that the information they receive about their child helps them support them at home, as well as the workshops the manager offers. This helps parents to understand their child's day and how to support their learning. Parents describe the pre-school as 'brilliant'.
• Children are supported extremely well to develop healthy lifestyles, they enjoy regular sports coaching and weekly music sessions as well as walks along the river to watch the boats. Staff deliver consistent messages to help children understand how they can make healthy choices. For example, as part of the initiative of healthy early years, staff engage parents to come and cook healthy recipes to support these choices at home.
• Staff know the local community exceptionally well and plan innovative opportunities to widen children's life experiences. For instance, a trip to the theatre enhances children's interest about sea life and mermaids. Children's interest in arts and crafts was inspired by trips to the local art gallery.
• The staff team know the children very well and work tirelessly to make sure children have exciting opportunities to learn. Children are eager and curious to try new activities. Staff engage and join children well at activities to ensure that children receive individual attention.
• The manager values everyone's contribution to the nursery and places a strong emphasis on staff's well-being. All staff are involved in reflecting on the pre-school and involved in planning improvements.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children's language development even further by giving them time to answer questions asked of them.