Rub-A-Dub Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the pre-school happily, eager to find their friends and start playing. Staff welcome each child with a smile as they arrive. They enjoy playing with staff, who join in their games. As young children create dens, staff guide them, encouraging them to think about how to make the dens taller and wider, helping children develop confidence in their own ideas.

The curriculum provides a strong foundation for the next stage of learning. Young children develop independence skills as they collect their own lunch boxes before eating. Special 'Rising Stars' sessions, held on Fridays, support pre-school children as they prepare to start school. These sessions offer extra support before children attend school and include regular visits to the schools they will attend. Children make good progress in their learning and development.

Children are curious, safe and secure. Staff build strong relationships with the children and their families, recognising the positive impact this has on their learning and development. Children feel comfortable seeking reassurance from staff, who are always happy to provide a cuddle. The pre-school hosts special events like 'Dad's Den Day' when parents are invited to join their children at the pre-school, helping to strengthen relationships.

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

• The curriculum has a strong focus on guiding children to explore and understand nature. Children are supported to play outdoors, whatever the weather. They develop coordination and balance as they run in the fresh air. The weekly 'Forest School' session helps children develop their independence, physical skills and confidence in nature as they spend time in a local forest. By watching caterpillars grow into butterflies, children are supported in exploring life cycles.
• Children are confident communicators. Staff help children build a broad vocabulary by introducing new words during interactions with them. Staff ask open questions, giving children time to think and respond. Children know their opinions count, and older children express themselves in complex sentences, explaining what they know and can do. However, quieter children are not always given opportunities to join in discussions, especially during group times, which hinders their language development and interaction with others.
• There is a strong focus on supporting children as they develop their creative skills and imagination. Staff guide children in expressing themselves in a variety of artistic styles. External providers offer dance sessions where children learn how to move their bodies to music. With recycling materials and tape, staff help young children to build car models. Children develop their cutting skills by cutting the sticking tape with scissors. In their pretend shop, older children invite friends to buy ice cream, which helps build their cooperation and imaginative skills.
• Children are kind to others and engaged learners. Young children concentrate on one activity for a very long time and happily invite friends to play with them. However, when children struggle to share toys or take turns, staff do not always support them in understanding how their behaviour impacts on others.
• Staff are experienced in childcare and education. They report feeling valued in their role and enjoying the team environment. Staff feedback that they receive ongoing support and coaching and regularly undertake relevant training. This training is then put into practice to support children further. For instance, a recent course on mathematics in the early years has helped staff develop new ideas for their mathematics curriculum. Children have responded well to this new approach, resulting in a positive impact on their learning and development.
• Parent feedback is positive. They comment that they are well informed about children's progress and the various activities children engage in. Parents report that children are very happy when attending the pre-school, and they recommend the pre-school to others.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• engage quieter children more frequently into conversations to enable them to practise their language skills
• support children to understand how their behaviour impacts on others.