Pre-school @ St Helens

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this exceptional pre-school. They arrive happy and are ready to explore the remarkable environment that staff provide. They have immense fun and sustain high levels of engagement in their chosen activities. Staff know the children exceptionally well. They have excellent knowledge of children's interests. For example, staff sensitively adapt group activities to elicit the interests of children. This supports children to engage in purposeful play and make excellent progress from their starting points.

Staff offer highly effective support to help children to take turns and share toys. They give consistent and meaningful praise for children's positive behaviour. This supports children to understand acceptable behaviours. Children are incredibly kind and demonstrate impeccable behaviour. For example, when children are feeling shy, other children comfort them by offering hugs and ask them to play.

Children spend copious amounts of time outdoors in the fresh air. Staff utilise every space to provide inspirational learning opportunities. Children relish the opportunities available to them. For example, they delight in playing in the mud kitchen. They explore a range of herbs as they mix concoctions. Children use their imaginations as they shovel mud in the builders' area. There is a real hive of activity as children engage in meaningful learning.

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

• The curriculum is highly ambitious and expertly embedded across the pre-school. Staff plan the environment and activities to capture children's interests and curiosity. Teaching is of a consistently high quality. Staff have a clear understanding of how children learn, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps to ensure that all children continue to make exceptional progress.
• Children thrive in the language-rich environment. Interactions between staff and children are excellent. Staff ask questions that successfully challenge children to think at every opportunity. They ignite children's curiosity through interesting and meaningful conversations. Children develop an extensive vocabulary. For example, they use words such as 'transparent' and 'purchase' as they engage in conversations with staff. Staff skilfully support the use of new language and explain what new words mean. This helps children to understand more complex words.
• Children's behaviour and attitude to learning are exemplary. They are extremely confident to learn new skills. Staff encourage children to become increasingly independent. For example, at mealtimes, children learn to persist as they cut blueberries with a knife. They have a wonderful sense of achievement and encourage their friends to keep on trying. Children celebrate by saying, 'When we practise, we can do it.'
• Staff skilfully weave mathematics through activities and experiences. For example, children enthusiastically compare the size of worms they find in the garden. Staff encourage children to use tally charts to record numbers at every opportunity. They record similarities and differences and learn to work out simple sums. This helps children to develop a positive attitude to mathematics and problem-solving.
• The manager uses funding exceptionally well. She ensures children's learning and development needs are clearly understood and met. Support for children with SEND is excellent. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and other professionals. She is very proactive in ensuring children get early and ongoing support. This contributes to the rapid progress that children make.
• Partnerships with parents are exceptional and highly successful. Parents have the utmost praise for the pre-school and staff. They are extremely grateful for any advice and support offered. Staff support parents to be involved in their children's learning. For example, parents are invited to open days where staff 'showcase' the curriculum. This encourages parents to support children's learning at home.
• The manager is extremely passionate. She has a clear ambition to identify and prioritise improvements. For instance, she regularly completes comprehensive audits to embed a positive learning environment. As a result, she implements numerous initiatives that are worthy of sharing with other early years settings. In addition, staff receive regular supervision sessions that focus on professional development and well-being. This creates a culture of continuing improvement that reinforces the consistency of a high-quality provision.