Pre-School Stars

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive excited to learn at this welcoming nursery. They quickly form positive relationships with staff, which helps them feel safe and secure in their environment. Staff respond sensitively to children's individual care needs when approached for support or reassurance. Children readily engage in the varied and interesting activities on offer. They get fully engrossed in both independent and group play. For example, children handle and explore real vegetables. They carefully peel each layer of an onion and are encouraged to comment on the smell. This inspires their natural curiosity to investigate and discover.

Children show a love for books. They listen intently to stories read by staff and happily share books of their own choosing with others. Younger children have their favourite books based on their interests, such as animal picture books. They hear the animal names and practise the noises these make. Older children develop their thinking skills and answer staff's questions related to the story. In this way, children deepen their understanding of the content and features of books.

Children behave well and learn to be courteous towards others. Staff are good role models and teach children to be kind and compassionate. They also use songs to help children learn words they need to show good manners. This helps to create an atmosphere of mutual respect.

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

• The manager and staff have worked hard to support children's personal, social and emotional skills following the COVID-19 pandemic. They have worked effectively with parents to aid children's smooth transition into the setting. For example, children are offered tailored settling-in sessions of varying durations.
• The manager and staff are committed to helping children develop good communication and language skills. They encourage children to talk as well as to join in with actions and lyrics from their favourite songs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified through accurate assessments. Staff swiftly seek support and advice from outside agencies to help address any gaps in children's learning and development. Children with speech delay benefit from this additional support and use a growing vocabulary.
• The manager has high expectations for all children in her care. She has devised a curriculum that is sequenced and covers all areas of learning. Staff assess children's learning regularly. As a result, they know what children know and can do. Overall, staff are aware of what they want children to learn next. However, when planning for individual children, this is not fully embedded. Therefore, children's learning is not taken to an even higher level.
• Children show positive attitudes to learning. This is demonstrated when staff share experiences from the diverse cultures represented in the setting. For instance, staff teach children dance moves from an African culture. Children smile broadly and clearly enjoy participating in these activities. This helps them to consider similarities and differences between their own cultures and those of others.
• Staff place a strong emphasis on developing children's understanding of what it means to be healthy. For example, children practise the sequence of washing hands properly. They comment that they have reminded their parents not to put chocolate cake in their lunch box. They understand that sugary foods are bad for their teeth. Parents and staff have received training from an external professional on good oral hygiene, including how to teach children to brush their teeth efficiently. This joint approach of working is proving to be successful.
• Children show a keen interest in being active. They run, ride tricycles and navigate around the road track in the garden with increasing control. Children understand the importance of exercise for staying fit. For instance, they say they are counting their steps when walking inside. Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their small muscles in preparation for using equipment with precision. This helps to prepare children for their next stage in education effectively.
• The manager demonstrates a high regard for supporting staff's well-being. Staff feel valued and appreciate that the manager is available for any queries they may have. The manager uses supervisions to support staff's professional development. However, this approach is yet to be fully effective in developing individual staff's skills and knowledge to provide consistent practice of a high quality.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine planning so that staff have a clearer understanding of what they want individual children to learn from the activities they provide
• strengthen staff support and coaching to make these more precisely linked to staff's individual areas for development.