Pumpkin Patch Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are settled and confident learners. Staff place them at the heart of everything they do. They provide an inclusive environment for all children and ensure that their individual needs are met. Children show good levels of emotional well-being and secure attachments between staff and children are evident. Children demonstrate that they feel safe by moving independently around the pre-school when they choose what they want to play with.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points. They benefit from the staff's high expectations for what they can achieve. Staff complete regular assessments on children's learning to enable them to quickly identify when children are not developing typically for their age. They work well with other professionals to provide targeted support. This helps children with SEND to rapidly close gaps in their learning.

Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning. They actively explore and investigate within the safe and highly resourced environment. Outdoor learning is an integral part of everyday routines. Children delight in the time they spend outdoors and use their senses to explore the world around them. Staff use children's interests to extend their knowledge. For instance, when children find a newt, staff encourage them to use books to find new information about this. Children excitedly share this information, such as telling others that's newts catch food using their sticky tongue.

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

• Staff plan activities which allow children to take the lead in their own learning, based on what interests them. For example, children demonstrate high levels of imagination as they travel on the 'pirate ship' to 'Penguin Island'. Children tell staff that the ship will travel fast, and the waves will be enormous.
• Staff support children's communication and early literacy skills well. They are skilled when talking with children and books and stories are a fundamental part of children's play experiences. Children listen with interest to stories and identify that the characters are wearing kilts. They comment that these are like skirts and worn by people who live in Scotland. Staff extend their existing knowledge by explaining they are made from a material called tartan.
• Overall, children are keen to engage with the staff and take part in activities. Most children confidently complete tasks independently, have good social skills and demonstrate confidence in speaking and listening. However, occasionally some staff do not notice when less confident children may need help to join in fully with activities. This means that some children do not become as fully enaged as they could.
• The kind and caring staff know the children well, including what makes them unique. They are responsive to their individual needs. For example, they offer cuddles and reassurance where needed.
• Staff encourage children to follow good hygiene routines, such as regularly washing their hands, and encouraging them to make healthy food choices. During snack, children have discussions with staff about the fruits they are eating and comment how these are good for them.
• Staff provide children with good opportunities to foster respect for diversity so that all children feel valued. For example, children learn about different festivals, such as the Bulgarian festival Baba Marta.
• On the whole, children behave well. Staff act as positive role models and rules are in place, such as being kind to others and treating others with respect. However, when children display unwanted behaviour, staff do not always explain why this is not acceptable. This means children do not always understand why they cannot do things and, consequently, despite being told no, they continue.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Leaders and staff consistently share information about children's progress and make suggestions on how parents can support learning at home. For example, children take part in 'maths' challenges and complete tasks such as comparing and counting coins. These positive experiences help to promote children's early interest in mathematics.
• The management team show the highest regard for staff, ensuring they feel truly appreciated. Their well-being is a priority for leaders, which helps them in fulfilling their roles and developing their practice. Staff work exceptionally well as a team.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• focus more on encouraging all children to join in with activities
• strengthen the strategies in place for managing behaviour, and further support children to learn why their unwanted behaviour is not acceptable.