Smiling Faces Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at the pre-school happy, confident and ready to learn. There are effective, gradual, settling-in sessions, tailored to meet the child's individual needs. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They form close bonds with staff and each other. Staff praise and encourage children consistently as they play. Children learn to take turns and enjoy assisting in tasks, such as tidying up. They follow the routines of the nursery well. For example, they know to take out their packed lunches and put their lunchboxes away so they have space to eat.

The manager has changed the arrangements for children's arrival and collection to help keep them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Children readily leave their parents at the pre-school gate. Once inside, younger children settle quickly into their play, where there is a variety of activities on offer. Older children eagerly find their own coat hook to put their things away. Children enjoy sharing their play with adults. For instance, staff join the children as they play with balls, tubes and magnetic holders on a board. Staff use these opportunities to support children's critical thinking as they work out where to place the holders and tubes to get the balls into a bag.

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

• The manager ensures that staff implement a broad curriculum to help children make progress in their education. Staff know children well. They know what the children enjoy playing with, what they are capable of and what they need to learn next. For example, older children who have an awareness of letters and sounds have time to practise these.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills well, overall. They use visual aids and sign language to support children's understanding of the spoken word. However, at times, some children do not receive enough challenge or the adult guidance during activities that they need. This means that, occasionally, some children are not purposefully engaged in learning.
• The pre-school provides an inclusive service. Staff are knowledgeable about children's specific needs, such as those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The special educational needs coordinators engage with other professionals and use their guidance to plan for what each child needs to learn next. They support staff on how to best support individual children.
• Overall, partnership working is good. Many parents speak highly of the pre-school. They comment that the setting is 'more educational unlike others' and that their children are 'developing a zest for learning'. However, leaders and staff have not been highly effective in establishing stronger partnerships with some parents and the other settings children also attend. This means that, on occasion, information is not shared consistently to ensure that children make the best possible progress.
• Staff are good role models for children. They teach children to be kind and respect others. Younger children willingly pass toys to each other. Friendships between older children are developing well. For instance, they listen well to each other's ideas during circle time and small group activities.
• Staff place a high priority on helping children develop strong physical skills. Older children engage in a variety of activities to develop their small-muscle skills in preparation for writing. They skilfully pick up pom-poms with tweezers and persevere to build vehicles using blocks. Younger children manipulate play dough to create shapes and animals.
• The manager has a good oversight of the nursery. Staff meet frequently to discuss individual children's learning needs and how they will support these. The manager and staff work well together as an enthusiastic and dedicated team. Staff benefit from regular supervision and training to develop their skills further. They report that they are well supported by management, and staff morale is high.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to recognise how to extend and challenge children's learning more consistently
• strengthen partnership working with parents and other settings, in order to help children make the best possible progress.