Preston Village Preschool

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders have rigorous systems in place to find out children's individual needs very early. For example, leaders and the children's key person carry out home visits before the child starts in the setting. This ensures children develop familiarity and security early in the relationship. Parents and carers praise the settling-in process. They say it is thorough and has helped their children settle well. The key person establishes children's individual needs. Using guidance and information from parents, they explore if there are gaps in learning and how they can be addressed. Children are further assessed once they have fully settled in.

Staff offer children individualised support. For example, they use Makaton signing to support children with language development. They use continual observation and assessment processes to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other barriers to learning are making progress and achieving their targets. Staff consistently monitor and update children's progress. They work closely with parents sharing information on a regular basis to ensure targeted adaptations have a consistent and positive impact. Staff work closely with other agencies to ensure continuity of learning across all areas of the child's life. As a result, children with SEND make rapid progress in their learning.

The key person is fully supported in their role. Leaders are extremely dedicated and passionate. They ensure staff have all they need to provide targeted support for children with SEND. Leaders responsible for supporting these children have secure knowledge, experience and understanding to ensure that adaptations put into place result in rapid progress. They work closely with parents to use extra funding wisely.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have devised a highly inclusive curriculum that is ambitious for all children. They have ensured that children's individual needs are at the forefront of their planning. The initial focus on developing personal, social and emotional skills, alongside language and physical skills, ensures that children develop confidence to access all other areas of learning as they play. Key persons explain to all staff the reasoning behind planned activities, so that all staff engage with children purposefully. However, on occasion, some staff do not consistently enhance teaching and interactions to support and build on children's learning. Sometimes, resources are not used to their fullest to enhance children's understanding, language, or enjoyment of the activity. For example, children wear shoes on a textured trail.

Conversation is a large part of the setting's day. Staff generally support children's language as they play together. They are quick to address misconceptions. For example, they gently correct children who mix up pink and purple and put them side by side to compare the difference. Staff use children's play to explore mathematical concepts, such as size. For example, they talk about the long necks of dinosaurs and count their toes. Children talk about the 'tiny' shells as they move them about in the water. Staff count with children as they use blocks to build castles.

Children develop strength in their arm and hand muscles through a variety of activities, such as 'mashing the potatoes' in the mud kitchen or scooping rice into tiny egg cups. This helps build the strength and skills for writing when they start school.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children generally make consistent and steady progress through the curriculum. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning make rapid progress because of the consistency of the activities and focus on their individual needs. Children particularly make secure progress in their personal, social and emotional skills because of the positive, trusting and warm relationships they build with their key person.

Children recognise when they have done well. They are proud of their achievements and want to share them with others. For example, children bring in things they have made from home and proudly share them with staff and their friends. Children are equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence for school. They learn to get on well with each other and develop secure social skills. Children become independent in their self-care, such as washing their hands and putting on their own coats. Children are confident to talk to adults and ask for help when they need it. This will support them in settling into school quickly.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children's behaviour and attitudes are a significant strength of the setting. Children clearly understand the expectations. Staff initially focus on ensuring that personal, social and emotional development is well supported. They ensure children have the language to talk about how they feel and express their needs. Children eagerly join in the morning register where they remind each other of the rules they need to have a lovely day. They are kind to each other because staff explicitly teach the skills children need to get on well. Children pass each other resources and play extremely well together. For example, children in the mud kitchen work together to make 'mashed potatoes', 'meatballs' and 'chocolate cake' for dessert. Children feel secure in the positive and trusting relationships they build with their key worker and they snuggle on to their laps for stories. Children demonstrate the ability to focus on activities because staff recognise their interests and know how to fully engage them. For example, children carefully examine shells in the water and compare their sizes. Children show great concentration as they carefully stick sequins to make a pattern.

Leaders have created a hugely positive and respectful environment where children are motivated to engage with activities, staff and each other. Staff are excellent role models. They behave politely to each other and use excellent manners. As a result, children behave in the same way.

Leaders fully recognise the importance of attendance and punctuality, particularly for disadvantaged children or those with other barriers to learning. They work closely with parents to support them with this. When necessary, leaders are flexible in their approach to ensure all children arrive at the setting at the correct time.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

The children's welfare and wellbeing are at the heart of the setting. All staff have a deep understanding of each child's individual circumstances and their family background. They understand the child's lived experience outside of the setting and apply this to the care and welfare of the child. This builds extremely positive relationships and secure attachments which underpin practice. This allows those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to fully receive the individual support they need. Leaders and staff emphasise children's emotional wellbeing. They use support boxes with books and sensory items for children to begin to explore and manage their own emotions. As children grow through the year, regular sessions to discuss their feelings take place during registration. Daily interactions and ongoing discussions with parents and carers ensure consistency in continuity of care.

Leaders are proactive in encouraging healthy lunches. They provide parents and carers with examples of healthy items to ensure children eat well. They actively follow up with parents if these are not adhered to. They provide healthy snacks and fully encourage children's independence throughout everyday routines. Children wash their hands independently and peel and cut their own fruit. Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of safer eating and sleeping and are alert to the possibilities of allergies and choking. They have created safe sleep spaces for children that need them.

Leaders support children's oral health. On their initial home visit, they give toothbrush packs to children with a song and guidance. They follow this up with practical activities in the setting. Leaders make drinking water into a game by having regular alarms that children recognise as 'water time'. They rush to get a drink, calling their friends to join them.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear intention to provide the best childcare and education they can, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or other barriers to their learning. They have a vision of how they want the setting to be and have made great steps, particularly in the development of the outdoor area. Their vision has now moved on to developing a cohesive leadership team, and staff are still settling into new roles and learning their responsibilities. Staff wellbeing is high, and staff enjoy working at the setting. They are motivated to improve and move forward in their own development.

Leaders regularly monitor and review staff performance. However, they have not taken action to ensure that all staff are consistently using every available chance to teach effectively. They ensure that staff have access to professional development and that necessary courses, such as safeguarding, and changes to the curriculum or welfare are completed.

Leaders and staff have positive relationships with parents and carers, and work hard to build them with the local community. They have secure links with the local schools, especially when children leave to start there. They work extremely well with outside agencies to support children with SEND or other barriers to learning. Leaders do not share information with all parents regularly enough to ensure that they can consistently support their child's learning at home.