Sallowbush Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well settled. They show through their body language that they have good bonds with staff, including with some staff who are new to the pre-school. Children are confident to seek help or reassurance and are keen to talk to staff as they play. Staff are kind and nurturing and have children's best interests at heart. They consistently seek children's consent before helping them with hygiene routines, such as changing nappies and wiping noses. This helps children build good levels of self-esteem.

Despite recent staffing changes, staff know children well. They understand the aims of the curriculum and adapt teaching well to meet each child's individual stage of development. Children receive consistent messages that help them understand behaviour expectations. Staff provide a calm environment. They put appropriate boundaries in place that help to keep children safe and learn about each other's rights to play. Children are learning to take turns with popular toys. They ask staff for sand timers or digital timers to help regulate their turn-taking.

Children gain increasing control of gross and fine motor skills. They have plenty of opportunities to practise climbing, running and jumping. They use a range of equipment that helps them develop balance, such as bicycles and a see-saw. Children manipulate play dough, building the muscles in their hands to develop a pencil grip.

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

• The provider ensures that staff receive targeted training that helps them to understand the curriculum aims. Staff work closely together to review the individual needs of the children who attend and make adaptations to the pre-school routine and teaching. This helps staff to identify how best to support each child to gain the skills and knowledge they need for the next stage in their education.
• Staff are reflective practitioners who strive to improve children's experiences. They receive regular supervision meetings that help them to consider ways to develop their practice. The provider is supportive of staff's development, encouraging them to gain early years professional qualifications as well as identifying training that focuses on supporting the cohort of children that attend.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive targeted support. Staff help parents seek professional support. They work effectively to implement interventions and establish education, health and care plans where appropriate. Children benefit from the consistent approach and make good progress.
• Staff help children build independence and confidence to do things for themselves. Children receive lots of praise and encouragement as they learn good hygiene and toileting routines. Staff encourage children to tidy up throughout the day. This helps children learn about possible safety hazards that may pose a risk to themselves and their friends, such as tripping over toys or slipping on spilled sand or water.
• Staff encourage children to explore slime, introducing words to describe the texture and appearance. They read stories to children, both on request and as part of the pre-school day. Staff understand that children benefit from repetition to help them embed learning. They encourage children to borrow books to take home to share with their parents. Staff talk to children about the book. This helps to build children's confidence to talk and share what they know.
• Over half of the children attending the pre-school speak English as an additional language. Most children make good progress to gain understanding and vocabulary in English. However, for a small number of children who speak English as an additional language, staff practice is less effective in successfully engaging them in purposeful play. This reduces opportunities for these children to have meaningful interactions with staff to hear and build their understanding of English.
• Parents are positive about the pre-school and staff. They say that their children are happy to come and that they are well cared for. Parents say that they receive updates about their child's day. However, not all parents say that they have received information about their child's next steps in learning or how to support their ongoing learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff broaden ways to engage all children who speak English as an additional language in activities that build their understanding and confidence in English
• enhance further the partnership working with parents so they all understand what their child's next steps in learning are and how to support ongoing learning at home.