Rixton-With-Glazebrook Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the nursery ready to start their day. Staff greet children at the door and share important information with parents. Children form strong attachments with adults and build friendships with other children. Children are safe and happy. They demonstrate good behaviour, following staff instructions. Children make good progress because staff have high expectations of what they can achieve. This includes children who receive additional funding, those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff ensure there are resources and activities accessible which appeal to children and support their interests. This helps children to settle into their play. As a result, children feel relaxed and happy when separating from their parents.

Children enjoy music classes and visits to the local train station. Children become part of their local community. For example, they take part in festival celebrations within the local community.

Children enjoy being physically active. They ride their balance bikes or three-wheeled vehicles or create their own obstacle course to navigate safely. Children learn to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. They grow their own fruit at snack time and are starting to understand the importance of eating healthily.

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

• Children benefit from a clear curriculum designed to ignite their interest and develop positive behaviours and attitudes to learning. Focusing on their starting points and identifying next steps in their learning, staff plan appropriate activities based on children's interests. For example, children have great fun in the water tray pouring water from one container into another. Children learn to count in sequence as they count the number of cups it takes to fill the jug.
• Overall, children's hygiene needs are managed well. Older children independently use the toilet and wash their hands. Younger children's nappies are regularly changed and appropriately disposed of. Children understand the need to prevent the spread of germs, as they cough into their hands. However, this is not always followed up with the children washing their hands. This does not consistently deepen children's understanding of good-hygiene practices.
• Group activities are very well organised and tailored to the children's learning needs. Large-group activities are kept short, which ensures children have a quality experience and remain focused. Older children are paired with younger children to support them in achieving their individual next steps in learning. Children's attitude to learning is good. They know and understand the rules, take turns and share experiences and ideas with children and staff.
• The setting promotes a healthy eating policy. Fresh fruit is provided daily for children to enjoy, as well as milk and water. Staff work in partnership with parents to ensure children who are staying all day have a healthy packed lunch. Children enjoy daily opportunities to play outside in the the large outdoor play area. This promotes the children's developing physical skills.
• Staff help children to develop their language skills. Children greet each other in the morning with the 'Hello' song and have the opportunity to share their news at registration. Children are eager to listen to stories, and staff successfully read stories to children in a way which keeps them engaged. However, staff do not always introduce a wider vocabulary into children's learning to support them further with their language development.
• Parents share their positive views of the setting with excitement, saying that it is friendly and their children enjoy attending. Parents speak highly of the staff and their efforts in keeping the parents up to date on everything that the children are doing in the setting. One parent proudly said that 'pre-school is an amazing early years setting which offers the children fantastic opportunities to learn and grow.'

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support opportunities for children to further develop their understanding of good hygiene practice
• explore opportunities to consistently extend children's language skills.