Scotby Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly on arrival at this warm and welcoming pre-school. They are greeted by kind and caring staff who provide a calm and nurturing environment. Children feel safe while exploring the activities and resources. Staff sensitively adapt the setting to meet children's individual needs. Children establish secure attachments and strong bonds with their key persons. This effectively supports their well-being. Children confidently interact with each other and staff. Staff use sign language and picture prompts to help children understand daily routines and to ensure children's wants and needs are met.

Staff and managers have high expectations for children. They aim for every child to be confident, independent and a good communicator, and to be ready for their next stage of learning. Children behave well. They learn to cooperate, take turns and share resources, which are all skills that they will need in later life. Staff promote healthy living and healthy lifestyles. They engage children in physical activity, such as gentle stretching and finger exercises. This supports children's physical development.

Children love being outdoors. Staff have created a covered play area that children can access in all weathers. Children enjoy investigating objects found in the water tray. Staff extend this interest by introducing paint brushes for children to practise their mark making on an outside wall. Children enjoy exploring the large sensory boards and listening to sounds each object makes. Indoors, children take part in creative activities, such as painting using fresh vegetables. In addition, children enjoy exploring rice in trays and counting and weighing natural materials, such as conkers. Children particularly enjoy visits in the community where they explore the world around them and meet the local villagers.

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

• The manager and staff implement an ambitious curriculum for children. In addition, staff's continued professional development is well supported. This helps staff to feel valued and respected. Staff work closely with other professionals and implement plans to ensure children can reach their targets and make good progress. Staff complete specialised training and implement their new learning and skills during the sessions. For example, staff recently completed a signing course and, as a result of this, introduced 'the sign of the week' for parents and children.
• Children choose from a range of interesting activities. For example, some children play with modelling dough, others with magnetic shapes, or weighing scales and natural materials. Staff know their key children well. They use their knowledge of each child to support them through their self-chosen play. Children confidently interact with staff who support their language, communication and literacy skills. However, occasionally, during some group activities, younger children quickly lose interest and are not as engaged. During these times, learning for these children is lessened.
• Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and provide clear and concise instructions when required. As a result, children are developing a good understanding of behaviour expectations. For example, while children are painting, staff remind them to share and explain why. This helps to support children's understanding of feelings and emotions.
• Children learn about healthy eating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Staff provide a fruit snack and fresh drinking water. Children learn good hygiene routines. They are physically active, indoors and outdoors. Staff introduce oral hygiene through face-to-face visits by the local dental hygienist. This supports children's good health and well-being.
• Staff establish good relationships with children and actively listen to them as they talk about what they are doing. This helps children to feel respected and valued. The key-person role is effective in supporting children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff refer children to the appropriate agencies and children receive targeted support using specialised plans implemented by the staff. This enables all children to make good progress.
• Parents speak very highly of the pre-school provision. They say that their children enjoy playing outside, being creative and meeting up with their friends. The pre-school has established exceptional links with the community and the local school. Parents say communication with staff is good.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the implementation of group times, to maximise the learning opportunities for every child.