Shobdon Arches Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at pre-school. They arrive happy to see staff and their friends and settle quickly, which shows that they feel safe and secure. Children behave well. They learn how to regulate their behaviour, and develop good social skills. They share and take turns because of the support that staff give them.

Children concentrate as they play and develop their imaginations and creativity well. For instance, children enjoy dressing up and being imaginative as they play doctors and help their friends to feel better with some medicine or 'magic cream'. They consider the injury and if a bandage or x-ray is needed. They confidently invite visitors into their play and offer them some 'banana and potato' cakes they have made with dough. They explain why they need to wear an oven glove when removing their cakes from the oven.

Staff have high expectations for children's language development. Children thrive in a language rich environment and develop a love of books, stories and singing. They are encouraged to make marks in the outside area. For example, they use chalk to draw around their friend's shadow. All children enjoy the wide variety of experiences on offer and make good progress from their developmental starting points.

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

• Leaders do not make sure that requirements are always met. They do not inform Ofsted when a new manager is appointed. However, this breach in requirements does not have a significant impact on children's safety because the vetting procedures and suitability checks for all staff are fully implemented.
• The managers' intent for the curriculum is clear. Staff plan activities based around children's interests and individual needs. For example, children who need extra help with their speaking skills have more one-to-one interactions with staff. Observation and assessment are used effectively to ensure that children's learning is sequenced well and is ambitious.
• Children benefit from weekly forest school sessions, provided within the adjacent school grounds. They enjoy learning about nature and experimenting with natural resources. Children learn to take manageable risks, such as holding sticks behind and not in front of them. They know that although they cannot see flames in the fire pit, the ash could still be very hot.
• Children have lots of fun exploring the mud kitchen. They demonstrate good mathematical skills, when negotiating how much water they need to make 'mud paint'. For example, they add more water or mud to get the thickness they need to paint with. Children explore and describe the difference between the textures of wet and dry mud. They show good levels of engagement and eagerness to participate.
• Children learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles and good oral health. Staff provide them with healthy choices, such as fresh fruit, milk, and water at snack times. They enjoy activities where they learn about teeth and the importance of good oral hygiene. For example, they use role-play toothbrushes and sets of teeth to learn how to brush teeth effectively. However, staff do not consistently share information with parents about the importance of their children bringing healthy snacks for their lunch.
• Staff read to children with enthusiasm and use props well to bring the story to life. However, at times, staff miss opportunities to fully engage children by asking them questions and encouraging them to make predictions and test their ideas further.
• Staff are given the skills and knowledge to carry out their roles and responsibilities. They attend regular staff meetings, and any training requirements are quickly identified and put in place. This ensures that children are well supported in their learning and development.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, parents are unable to enter the building. Staff use their outdoor space to provide visual and verbal feedback to parents about their child's time at the setting. Partnerships with parents are well developed. Staff use electronic communications with parents to discuss their children's progress further and how to support their learning at home. Parents comment that they are very happy with the setting and the progress their children have made.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend information sharing with parents around encouraging children's healthy eating
• support staff to make the most of teachable moments to help children to think and respond to questions, share their thoughts and ideas, and develop their critical thinking skills.