Shrewsbury Prepatoria Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children attending this pre-school are immersed in an environment that nurtures a love of nature. Staff have high expectations of every child. They nurture children's curiosity about the world around them and take them on a journey of endless opportunities to explore. Children discover caterpillars that drop down from the trees in the stimulating outdoor learning environment. Staff teach children about the life cycle of a butterfly through imaginative activities that embed their understanding. Children have meaningful discussions with staff about fruits that are seasonal, and discover that British plums are not ripe until the autumn.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They show respect for one another and demonstrate impeccable manners. Staff are excellent role models. They teach children how to be polite and share resources. There is a strong key-person system in place that supports secure attachments and helps children to feel safe and loved.

Children develop excellent self-help skills and independence that support the next steps in their education. They make choices about their learning and attend to their own needs at mealtimes. Children find their own named place mats and collect their cutlery. They use cutlery with precision. Staff teach children about the serrated edge of a knife and how to use tools safely.

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

• Managers have developed a meticulously planned curriculum that encourages children to be curious, independent learners. Children lead their own learning with the support of high-quality teaching. They work harmoniously together to create imaginative structures using crates and tyres. They talk to each other to plan and test out their ideas while making rocket ships. Staff engage with children as they play, encouraging them to make predictions and manage risks.
• Children make rapid progress from their starting points. Managers and staff have excellent assessment procedures in place to determine children's development needs. They work closely with parents to find out about children's prior experiences and use this information to create enriching learning opportunities.
• Children talk to staff and peers with a rich vocabulary that demonstrates the breadth of their experiences. They comment on the sounds that they hear in the environment. For example, when children pour stones onto a tower of crates, they comment that it sounds like rain as it falls through the different platforms. Staff identify gaps in children's experiences of stories and introduce them to a catalogue of traditional tales and classic stories. Children choose stories that they can take home and share with their families. Staff create guidance for parents to support an enriching story time with their children.
• Children are immersed into an inclusive setting that celebrates diversity and individuality. Staff teach children French nursery rhymes and children sing along to them. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive exceptional care and support. They make significant progress from their starting points and staff work in partnership with other agencies to enhance outcomes for children. They seek advice and provide children with unique opportunities, such as facilitating one-to-one support and using sign language to enhance communication. Managers go above and beyond to ensure that children with SEND can access the education that they deserve and to bridge the gap between them and their peers.
• Children learn how to live healthy lifestyles. They explore a variety of foods from one of their favourite stories. Staff ask children about the taste and texture of fruit, and children can describe fruits that are sour and sweet. Children understand and describe which foods are healthy for them. Staff extend children's learning, such as by teaching them how to use a magnifying glass to investigate the flesh and seeds in a watermelon.
• There is a strong ethos of being nurturing in the pre-school. Staff offer warmth and compassion to the children and each other. If a child becomes overwhelmed, staff take them for a walk outdoors to help them to gather their thoughts and feel calm again. Younger children who require rest in the afternoons lie down on beds in a dedicated area where they can have some quiet time. The managers in the pre-school support the well-being of the staff, such as by providing them with weekly rest days. This helps staff to feel appreciated as valuable members of the pre-school.
• The inspirational managers have embedded a culture of continuous professional development in the pre-school. There is an excellent supervision system in place that offers discussion and evaluation of teaching skills. Staff continuously reflect on practice and the needs of children, adapting their teaching continuously. For example, following a reflection on children's play interests, staff created a room dedicated to construction.