Sheredes Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into this fun, well-resourced pre-school. They arrive happy and keen to start their day. The caring, family atmosphere enables children to feel very safe, secure and happy. Children develop extremely strong attachments with their key person. The manager and staff keep children's well-being and enjoyment at the centre of everything they do. They talk to children in a calm and respectful manner, gently reminding them about the need to share and take turns. Children are developing an awareness of their emotions and are caring towards each other.

There is a wide range of interesting and inviting resources, both inside and outside. Children play and explore with great confidence and independence. They show good levels of concentration and are eager to learn. For example, children thoroughly enjoy making people with magnetic shapes. They talk about where to put the arms and legs and take great pride in their creations. Staff continually praise the children, which successfully promotes their self-esteem. A 'wow' board displays their achievements and encourages them to feel confident in their own abilities. Children make decisions about their play and learn to manage their own personal care needs. They quickly become independent. Children have lots of fun at the pre-school and quickly gain the skills they need for their future learning.

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

• The manager and staff work very well together, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere at the pre-school. They provide exciting opportunities for children to practise new skills across all areas of learning. The curriculum has a clear focus on developing children's independence and communication skills in readiness for their future learning.
• Staff interact with children in a calm and reassuring way, staying close and offering support when needed. The high staffing levels ensure that children receive lots of individual attention. The excellent key-person system enables staff to work closely with parents to ensure that they identify and meet children's individual care and learning needs.
• Staff plan enjoyable group activities for children, such as the 'what's in the bag' game. Children proudly name items in the bag, such as a 'fork' and a 'pen'. Staff ask children what they are used for, modelling language and extending their vocabulary. Children who speak English as an additional language achieve well in their communication and literacy skills.
• Arrangements for supporting children as they move from home to pre-school and on to the next stage in their learning are extremely well organised. Staff establish close links with the teachers at the host school to share relevant information. This helps to promote continuity of care and learning very well.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their small-muscle skills in preparation for early writing. They confidently use tweezers and glue sticks and concentrate well as they thread beads onto pipe cleaners. Children develop a love of books. They enjoy listening to stories and joining in with familiar phrases. Young children recognise their names as they find their pegs and place cards on the table at snack time.
• Staff skilfully support children's development in mathematics. Children sort colours and shapes and enjoy making things with the construction resources. They learn about 'pairs' and proudly count in sequence. Staff continually ask children questions, such as how many grapes they have left when they eat their snack.
• Staff greet families in a friendly manner, taking time to listen and share information. They get to know the children and their families very well. Parents describe the manager and staff as 'amazing'. They comment on how supported they feel and say that staff keep them very well informed about their children's learning and development.
• The manager places great importance on staff's welfare and professional development. She oversees the quality of teaching and provides staff with the support they need to continue to develop their good teaching skills. Staff enjoy working with the children and support each other in their roles. The manager is committed to providing the best possible care and education for all children.
• Staff know the children in their care well and can confidently talk about their capabilities. They plan a wide range of exciting activities and experiences for children. However, they are not always clear about what they intend children to learn in planned activities.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen planning of activities for children in order to focus teaching more precisely on the targeted learning intentions.