Red Barn Community Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive confidently and find their names to self-register. Staff greet them kindly and ask what they would like to play with. Children appear to feel safe as they settle happily into the environment. They talk to staff about their new siblings and discuss their family holidays. Children build meaningful relationships with their key person.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They explain rules consistently, such as reminding children to use 'walking feet' inside. Children demonstrate a good understanding of the rules and why they are in place. Staff also promote children's ability to manage disagreements with friends. For example, they discuss the importance of sharing toys and provide children with support to resolve conflicts. Children learn how to play fairly and respectfully with one another.

Leaders implement a curriculum that encourages children to learn through exploration. For example, children play imaginatively with resources such as pine cones and flowers. Children also explore with role play as they dress up and re-enact real-life experiences, such as cooking meals and putting on their sun cream. Children follow their interests as they play joyfully with their peers.

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

• Children have plenty of opportunities to develop the muscles in their hands, ready for early writing. They explore with play dough and staff encourage them to 'squeeze' and 'push' it as they try hard to make shapes. Staff also model how to use different tools, such as rolling pins and cutters. Furthermore, children explore with chalks on blackboards in the outdoor play space. They draw pictures of themselves and staff offer them plenty of praise for their achievements.
• Staff teach children interesting information about nature. For example, children learn about the life cycle of a caterpillar. Staff provide them with language such as 'chrysalis' and 'antennae' as they discuss butterflies. Children communicate with confidence about what they know about other creatures. For example, they have conversations with staff about how bees make honey. Children gain strong language skills and accurately articulate what they have learned and can remember.
• Overall, children benefit well from an ambitious and sequenced curriculum. Occasionally, the implementation of the mathematics curriculum is less strong. For example, although leaders intend for children to recognise numbers, staff do not consistently use interactions to develop this area of learning. This means that children's knowledge of mathematical concepts is not consistently extended.
• Staff recognise the importance of building partnerships with professionals involved in children's care. However, they have not developed consistent communication with other settings that children attend in order to regularly share information about children's progress. This means that children do not consistently benefit from a shared approach to their education.
• Children are active in their play as they learn how to move their bodies. They giggle with joy as they play on bicycles and balance on scooters. Children climb confidently and kick large balls to one another. Staff extend children's physical skills as they encourage them to dig with large shovels in the allotment. Children demonstrate control and accuracy as they make holes for planting. Children are engaged and confident in their learning.
• Staff build on children's experiences. They work with families to introduce children to different festivals that their friends celebrate at home. For example, children learn about National Barbados Day and experience different foods and traditions. This aims to promote children's curiosity and increase their understanding of diversity within the community. Children begin to learn about differences and similarities between themselves and others.
• Leaders have a good oversight of their provision. They proactively review the quality of education provided at the setting and provide staff with targeted training. Staff explain that they have regular supervision sessions that contribute positively to their well-being. Staff feel supported and valued in their roles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the implementation of the mathematics curriculum to increase children's understanding of mathematical concepts
• build partnerships with other settings that children attend to further promote a shared approach to their learning.