Smart Start Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eagerly and receive a warm welcome from their key person. They settle quickly and begin to explore a wide range of activities and toys. Children have fun in the pre-school and become motivated and creative learners. For example, they concentrate well to make festive decorations. They enjoy using different shiny materials, and hold them up, saying, 'look, it sparkles'.

Staff are good role models and treat children with kindness. As a result, children's behaviour is very good. They share toys and take turns during activities with the gentle guidance of the staff. Children know what is expected of them and remember their good manners, for example.

Children learn how to lead a healthy lifestyle. For example, they enjoy making fruit drinks to enjoy at snack time. Staff encourage them to have a go at chopping up the fruit, and praise their efforts. Children beam with pride and become independent and confident in their own abilities. Outdoors, children are happy to be physically active and learn to climb and balance with increasing skill.

The manager and staff place a high priority on supporting all children's well-being. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they maintained regular contact with families to check on their welfare and support children's home learning.

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

• The manager and staff get to know children and families well. They gather important information from parents when children first start to attend. This helps them to organise a curriculum that promotes their learning from the start. As children develop different interests, staff provide activities that support them to move on in their learning. Children make good progress from their starting points.
• Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They comment favourably about the staff and say they are kind and caring. There is a good two-way flow of information, which means that children benefit from continuity in their care. For example, staff talk to parents about how they approach toilet training with the children at home. They are then able to use the same ways to support children in the pre-school.
• The manager and staff provide strong support, when children need extra help with their learning and development. They are very proactive in working with other professionals and follow their advice diligently. This helps all children to enjoy their learning and reach their full potential.
• Children are confident communicators. Older children talk excitedly and fluently about decorating their Christmas trees, for example. Younger children quickly learn new words. They repeat words, such as 'squishy', to describe how jelly feels as they thoroughly enjoy exploring the jelly with their fingers.
• Children enjoy regular story times and develop a love of books. Children are captivated as staff read familiar stories. Staff skilfully vary their voices, for example, and encourage children to comment on the story. Children gain good literacy skills as they recognise and repeat familiar rhyming words. Staff value what children have to say and help them to explain their thoughts and ideas.
• Staff follow children's interests and make the most of opportunities to promote learning during their independent play. Overall, group activities support children to develop skills in different areas of learning. However, sometimes, staff do not plan group activities to fully engage all children. This means that some older children are not able to deepen and extend their learning.
• The manager supervises and supports staff very effectively. Staff comment that they are happy to be part of a supportive team. They enjoy working with children and feel that their expertise is valued. The manager regularly models good practice and ensures staff access the training they need to extend their skills. This means that children benefit from support from knowledgeable and motivated staff.
• The manager and staff form good partnerships with other providers and local schools. They ensure that children become ready for the next stage in their education by encouraging them to be independent. Children move on to school with the skills they need to enjoy school life.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the planning of adult-led activities to ensure all children have opportunities to deepen and extend their learning.