S4YC @ St Mary's Preschool & Out of School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff welcome children with warmth and enthusiasm. Children arrive happily and separate well from parents and carers. They quickly settle and are confident learners. Children choose where to play and who to play with. They are curious as they explore the wide range of resources available to them.

Overall, staff implement the curriculum effectively, taking into consideration children's individual learning needs. Children make good progress in their learning. Staff plan an exciting range of interesting activities and experiences for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They provide an array of outdoor activities that support children's physical development. This includes regular sports sessions and going on insect hunts. Staff involve children in gardening. Children take an active interest as they collect the fallen leaves. They marvel when they find a worm and find a safe place to rehome it. This helps to enhance children's understanding of the world around them.

Children behave well. Staff act as positive role models. Children help to tidy away toys and sit down at the table at mealtimes. They learn to be independent as they complete daily routine tasks. Staff encourage them to try to do things for themselves, such as managing their personal care needs. For example, all children learn how to wash their hands before lunch.

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

• The provider values the importance of supporting staff in their professional development highly. Staff regularly undertake purposeful training that has a positive impact on children's care and learning. For example, staff have accessed specific communication and language training. This allows them to more effectively support children who may be at risk of falling behind. As a result, staff ensure that any children who may be at risk receive swift intervention in order to make continued good progress.
• Overall, staff plan learning that enables their key children to build on their knowledge and skills. They review children's learning and complete the required assessments, such as the progress check for children aged between two and three years. However, some staff do not always ensure that the essential skills they wish children to learn are taught in the correct sequence. This means that, on occasion, children's learning is not precisely sequenced to support them to build upon what they already know and can do.
• Staff use a variety of ways to support and develop children's communication and language skills. For example, staff use sign language and visual prompts to enhance language development. However, on occasion, when asking children questions, staff do not give children the time they need to think and respond.
• On these occasions, children do not have opportunity to effectively practise their speaking skills. Nonetheless, children communicate well and share their wants and needs.
• All staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure all children, including those with SEND, make the best possible progress. Any additional funding that the setting receives is used to meet individual needs and enhance outcomes for children effectively.
• Staff teach children about helping other people. They support community projects by organising sponsored walks and donate funds raised to a local charity. Staff use these opportunities to teach children about sharing and being kind to others. This helps children to develop a sense of the community in which they live and to learn about the lives of others.
• Children enjoy learning about nature and the world around them. Staff encourage children to become responsible citizens and prepare them for life in modern Britain. For example, children go on litter picks where they carefully pick up litter. Children learn to separate their food waste into what can be composted and recycled. Staff provide opportunities for children to recycle food waste, observe nature and grow plants. This gives children a sense of responsibility and teaches them how to care for their environment.
• Partnerships with parents are a strength at the nursery. Staff regularly share information in a variety of ways. Staff communicate with parents daily and share general information on an online app. They invite parents to join their library sessions and parents' evenings. Staff send home story sacks and learning packs for children to enjoy at home. As a result, parents can continue to build on children's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise the sequence of learning to ensure that it is more focused on each child's individual learning
• provide children with more time to think and respond to questions asked, to support their communication and language development further.