Risedale Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff welcome children as they enter the pre-school. Older children settle quickly and greet their friends as they arrive. Younger children who may be unsettled are beginning to form good relationships with their key person, who offers lots of comfort from the start. Children enthusiastically explore the environment and easily select the toys they want to play with. The curriculum provided offers challenge and stimulates the interests of children. Children are keen to get involved in the activities on offer and show positive attitudes to learning.

All children behave well. They learn to take turns and share the resources. Children learn to identify and manage their feelings with sensitive support from staff. Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, they eagerly join in activities to develop their large muscles as they march and stretch. Older children are confident and are motivated to learn. For example, they develop their critical thinking and problem-solving as they build and balance blocks to make a house to climb inside. Younger children seek staff for comfort during the day, knowing they will receive a cuddle for reassurance.

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

• The manager and staff understand the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's development. They have designed a well-sequenced curriculum with a particular focus on children's communication and language and personal, social and emotional development. Staff know children well and what they are working towards. All children make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff provide effective support to help children to interact and develop their communication and language. For example, children enjoy activities to support their listening skills and eagerly follow instructions. Children confidently find objects around the hall linking to a particular colour or letter sound they have heard. Staff introduce descriptive words and clear language during activities. They use consistent teaching methods to support children who need extra support to engage with learning.
• Staff have created an environment where children can explore a variety of exciting objects and treasures. Children are becoming curious and inquisitive learners. Staff know what they want children to learn, and support children's development well through spontaneous learning opportunities. Occasionally, however, some staff do not respond quickly enough to secure new learning when children show an interest in something new.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a good knowledge of children and gives good support to staff to provide targeted plans for children. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.
• Children's independence is well encouraged. For example, they find their name for registration each morning, pour their own drinks and make choices about what they may like to eat at snack time. Children are confident to approach staff for help if needed. Staff offer praise for their accomplishments, which raises children's self-esteem.
• Staff introduce mathematical language into children's play and learning. Children enjoy building enclosures with toy construction bricks and to balance scales when weighing. Staff ask them to find 'one more monkey', then 'two more' as they try to balance the scales. They discuss how long and wide the enclosures are, testing if they can fit. As a result, children become confident to use mathematical language in their play.
• Partnerships with parents and other professionals caring for children are strong. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and comment that staff are nurturing and have worked at the pre-school for a long time. Therefore, children settle well and build strong bonds with them. Good communication ensures that parents know what their children can do and what they will be learning next.
• Staff attend supervision sessions with the manager. The manager places a strong emphasis on targeted training and recognises that this has a big impact on children's learning and development. For example, recent training has improved staff's knowledge of how to recognise different behaviours in children and offer strategies to support them when overwhelmed.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to support staff to recognise how they can expand on children's developing interests during child-led activities to secure new learning.