Roberttown Lane Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and thrive in this welcoming pre-school. They settle quickly through the nurturing and consistent care that staff provide. Staff know children very well. They provide tailored care to meet children's individual needs. Children's emotional well-being is strong.

Children talk confidently to visitors about what they are doing. For example, they describe how they have made a fish by arranging the different-coloured two-dimensional shapes. Children feel safe at pre-school and enjoy plenty of uninterrupted time to play. They confidently explore and develop high levels of concentration. Children's behaviour is good. They learn to care for the environment. Children work well together as they sweep the sand and put it in the bin. They also plant flowers to brighten up the local community and take part in a local gardening competition.

Staff recognise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children who were born just before, and during, this time. They work hard to ensure that any gaps in children's development are supported. Staff have high expectations of children, overall. Children learn how to play traditional games. They wait patiently until it is their turn. Older children use scissors competently, and younger children are taught how to hold and use scissors safely.

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

• Staff support children's literacy skills very well. They help children to develop their understanding of a wide range of stories. Staff read stories every day and repeat them regularly. They use very expressive voices that help to capture children's interest. Children concentrate well and listen attentively. They develop good memory recall skills and correctly predict what will happen next.
• Children jump and hop energetically as they play hopscotch. Children show good balance and coordination. They accurately throw a wooden disc onto the numbers. Older children correctly identify the number 'nine' that the disc lands on. Staff adapt their teaching effectively to help to support younger children's counting skills. They reinforce this through touching each number as children count. Children develop good mathematical understanding.
• Staff teach children new songs and repeat familiar songs. They adapt the tone of their voice as they sing loudly and quietly. Children thoroughly enjoy singing enthusiastically. They develop a strong knowledge of songs and rhymes. Children play musical instruments to accompany the songs they sing. They display a good sense of rhythm. However, staff do not consistently use opportunities to extend children's language and vocabulary skills. For example, they do not name the different instruments that children use.
• The manager supports staff's professional development well. Staff are swift to identify any concerns relating to children's development. They work closely with a range of other professionals and settings to support children's learning. The manager uses additional funding for eligible children effectively. Children benefit from consistently high levels of staff interaction.
• Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They are kept informed about their children's learning. Parents state that their children are happy. They say that their children want to come to the pre-school, even during the holidays. They value the weekly stay-and-play sessions and how these help their children to become familiar with the pre-school before they attend. Parents recommend the pre-school to others.
• Staff promote children's independence incredibly well. Children select their own name card and put it on the board to show that they have arrived at the pre-school. They dress themselves when going outdoors and manage their self-care needs competently. Children confidently wash and dry their own hands and put the paper towels in the bin.
• Children are physically active indoors and outdoors. They enjoy spending time outdoors and excitedly explore the bamboo cave. Children develop their understanding of the importance of leading healthy lifestyles. They understand which foods and drinks are healthy or unhealthy. Children take part in community garden projects. Staff teach them how to grow food from seeds. Children plant the seeds, water them and watch them grow. They work with staff to grow a range of foods, including sweetcorn, that they harvest in the autumn.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• expand children's language consistently and develop their vocabulary skills further.