Saltdean Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly greeted by staff as they eagerly arrive to start their day. Staff offer a broad and well-balanced curriculum, that is ambitious for all children. They carefully plan an array of purposeful activities and play experiences that support children's individual learning. These are based on children's interests as well as their development. For instance, children enjoy using their imagination to make their own pancakes from play dough. Staff extend this by inviting children to work together to make real pancakes. Children delight in being able to practise flipping their home-made pancakes safely. These opportunities mean children are quick to immerse themselves into activities and sustain interest in their play. This supports children to make good progress in their learning.

Staff focus on supporting children's emotional well-being. They build close and nurturing bonds with the children who confidently seek out staff for play, reassurance, and praise. Staff are responsive to children's needs and wants. This helps children to feel safe and valued. Staff consistently model high expectations of children. In turn, children know what is expected of them and treat each other with respect and kindness. They invite each other to join their play confidently making their own games. Staff consistently support children to resolve any minor conflicts that may arise. They reinforce positive behaviour through praise and encouragement. This contributes positively towards children's well-being and the good behaviour.

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

• The passionate manager, alongside her dedicated team, plan meaningful and appropriately challenging learning experiences for all children. They provide children with opportunities to develop their skills in all seven areas of learning. Staff know the children well and plan for their individual next steps, enabling them to continually strengthen their knowledge. Staff know what skills children have already learned, and what they want to teach them next. This sets children up for future success
• Staff well-being and teamwork is a priority. They receive regular and effective staff supervision sessions. This supports their ongoing personal effectiveness in their roles. Staff have opportunities to access a variety of training. This builds on their knowledge even further and positively impacts children's learning. For instance, staff access specific training to further support children's emotional well-being, with an emphasis on feelings. Training is cascaded to the team, and new ideas to support children's emotions are interwoven into daily practice. This supports children to begin to understand their own and others' emotions.
• Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children's communication and language skills. They know these underpin all other areas of learning. Staff successfully narrate children's play, use repetition, and hold purposeful back and forth conversations with children. Staff introduce new words such as 'desert' and 'recipe'. This helps children to broaden their ever-growing vocabulary. Furthermore, staff read stories enthusiastically as children listen intently. This supports children's early literacy development. However, on occasion, some staff do not provide children with the time they need to respond to questions. This does not always support children to develop their own thinking skills.
• Staff consistently support children's growing independence. For instance, children eagerly find their own pegs as they arrive and undress from their outdoor clothing. Staff give gentle reminders to help children to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, as children get comfortable in the reading area during play, staff remind them to move large cushions away from the wall. They explain this this could lead to them bumping their heads. However, staff do not plan opportunities to help children learn about online safety when accessing devices at home. This does not fully support their understanding of how to keep themselves safe when accessing the internet.
• The manager and staff work very well with parents and other professionals. They have good knowledge of local referral processes and ensure children receive timely support when needed. Staff consistently use strategies from other professionals to aid children's development. This supports children who have speech delay and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress alongside their friends.
• All staff recognise the importance of building successful partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly of the care and learning their children receive. They particularly value the staff's nurturing approach and report their children are happy and excited to attend. Staff communicate regularly with parents and keep them well informed of their children's development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently recognise when children need more time to explore and develop ideas for themselves to challenge their thinking skills
• enhance the curriculum to include opportunities for supporting children's understanding of online safety.