Rolvenden Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all abilities are confident and happy during their time in the friendly and welcoming pre-school. Children enjoy the company of staff. They have a positive attitude towards learning. For example, children show pride when staff praise them for their achievements. All staff have high expectations of children's abilities and plan activities they know children will enjoy. When children have an interest in role play and writing, staff encourage them to 'write' their recipes down as they 'bake'. Staff teach children about different concepts. For instance, they learn about what happens when they mix water with food colouring. They explore what happens when they transport the liquid to and from different-sized containers.

Staff are positive role models. All children behave well and are polite. They are caring and thoughtful. For example, they remember each other's favourite dressing-up outfit and kindly pass it to them. Children show empathy and understanding of other children's differing needs. Staff teach children good physical skills and support them to learn to move in different ways. This is demonstrated when they confidently and safely use equipment, such as climbing frames and ladders. Children are confident to communicate their thoughts and ideas. They are excited to enthusiastically sing their favourite songs with confidence.

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

• All staff establish secure and trusting relationships with children. They know their unique traits and personalities. This includes fully understanding their likes and dislikes. This helps all children settle quickly into the pre-school and enjoy their time there.
• Overall, the manager and staff devise and implement a broad and interesting curriculum and support children to make good progress. Children are motivated learners and join in activities with enthusiasm. However, there are inconsistencies in the quality of the planning for individual activities as some do not have a clear learning intent for individual activities. Therefore, while children enjoy taking part, activities are not always tailored as precisely as possible to fully extend their learning.
• All children have a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff are dedicated to help support all children to make good progress. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, staff work closely alongside other agencies, such as speech and language therapists. They share and implement useful strategies, such as using visual prompts.
• All staff have a good knowledge of all areas of learning. Overall, the environment is organised well. However, the organisation of books and reading materials does not effectively encourage children to access them. For example, the book corner forms part of a cosy space that has little natural light. Although this area is used well to support SEND children who feel calm in this space when they become overwhelmed, it is less helpful for children who wish to look at books. This does not effectively encourage children to develop a love of books and develop their literacy skills further.
• The manager and staff establish positive relationships with parents, who speak very highly of them. They comment that they highly recommend the pre-school. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's day and their next steps in learning. Staff share helpful ideas with parents, such as teeth brushing tips.
• The manager closely monitors the quality of care and teaching staff provide. Staff evaluate together as a team. They reflect daily on what went well and what could be done differently. The manager is mindful of staff well-being and ensures their workload is manageable.
• Staff carry out regular training, reading and research, and implement their findings. This includes new craft ideas. As a result, all children enjoy exploring how to make marks in different ways, such as making patterns with pencil shavings.
• Staff support children to gain a good understanding of traditions, backgrounds and cultures outside of their own experiences. This includes language and different communities.
• The manager and staff use additional funding to meet the individual needs of children effectively. For example, they have purchased climbing and balancing equipment to help children develop their physical skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine further the planning of all individual activities to focus more specifically on the intentions for children's learning
• enhance the support for children to develop a love of books to extend their interest in literacy.