Priory Park Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed into the pre-school by warm, friendly staff. They play with their friends, talking about the pirates on the ship and deciding what happens next. Children enjoy playing games. For instance, they have lots of fun playing the 'shopping list' game. They talk about the fruits they like to eat, 'kiwis and pears', and the adult helps them understand the importance of eating healthy foods. Children enjoy making their own Christmas cards from a range of interesting craft resources.

Children confidently take part in an adult-led circle time, selecting the boards and pens they use for the activity. They count their friends, write numbers and draw pictures of themselves. Staff praise and encourage children and they proudly show their work to the group. Special helpers are chosen and they beam with pride, while the manager gives them the lanyard to wear. This builds on the children's self-esteem.

Children enjoy making play dough with adult support. They measure out the coconut flour, water and blue paint and mix it together in an enormous tray. They enjoy the feeling of the squishy dough and the coconut smell. Children show an understanding of each other's needs and share the resources. For instance, as they are using the play dough cutters, one child asks, 'can I have one?' and is quickly given a cutter by another child. They understand the importance of sharing and taking turns.

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

• The manager has an ambitious vision for the setting. She has identified professional development training for her team that builds on their strengths. This leads to extra responsibilities that staff enjoy and motivates them to make an impact on the setting. These changes are supported by the committee, who can see a positive effect on the children.
• The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents to support their children and provide a suitable learning environment. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. They enjoy 'bucket time' that helps to build their listening and attention skills. Children learn Makaton and use 'choice boards' to help support their communication.
• Parents report that they feel welcomed into this setting. They speak highly of the support their children receive from their key person. Parents are updated on their children's progress through daily feedback and termly meetings. They are given support on how to extend their children's learning at home.
• Staff plan a range of activities that support children's physical development. Children enjoy riding tricycles over the small bridge and navigating around the cones. They use timers to support turn-taking and learn to manage their feelings as they wait for their turn. Staff and children together build a challenging obstacle course using planks, tyres and crates. Children enjoy climbing and balancing. Staff identify when children need support and provide guidance. This helps to encourage children to become confident in their balancing skills.
• The management team has recently written a new ethos and vision for the setting. They identified that children needed more support after the COVID-19 pandemic. They designed a new curriculum that focuses on improving children's communication and language skills. Staff focus on helping children to learn about their emotions and build on their personal, social and emotional development. However, the management team understands that they need more time to embed their new curriculum across the seven areas of learning.
• Staff support children's mathematical development during the day. For instance, when children miscount the ponies, staff support them with the correct sequence. They use routine times of the day to encourage children's understanding of fractions. For instance, as children help to prepare fruit for their snack, the manager talks to the children about cutting the apples into 'halves' and 'quarters'. This helps to introduce new mathematical vocabulary to children.
• Children develop good hygiene routines and independently carry out self-care tasks. For example, they know to wash their hands before eating. At lunchtime, they sit with their key person and enjoy discussions about the healthy lunches their parents have provided. This helps children to understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
• The manager uses specialist funding to teach children about the wider world. For example, recent funding has been used to pay for an animal encounters company to visit the setting. The children thoroughly enjoyed being able to handle and learn about different animals.
• There are a wide variety of books that encourage discussions with children on what makes them unique. Staff celebrate festivals that are important to children and their families. This promotes equality and diversity and children learn to respect one another. This helps to prepare them for a life in modern Britain.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen and embed the new curriculum to clearly cover all seven areas of learning.