Somerleyton Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff welcome children by name as they arrive at the setting. Some children are quick to leave their parents, and those who return for one last hug and goodbye soon join their friends with eagerness. This means that children feel safe and secure as they begin their day. Children are greeted by a wealth of resources inside the setting that cover all areas of learning. Staff provide resources with purpose that are linked to individual children's developmental needs. This means that staff know children well and recognise their uniqueness. Children are happy and confidently chat to the staff.

Staff provide a calm learning environment and offer children choices about what they would like to do. This allows children to make their own decisions, holds their engagement and strengthens learning. Staff create high-quality learning opportunities and joy through dancing and singing. This ignites children's love of music and movement, boosts concentration and makes children smile. Outside, children have opportunities to extend their physical development. They climb on a wooden pirate ship. They dig a road in the mud and are told by their friends, 'Go round the cone,' as they ride on trikes and bikes. This fuels children's imagination as they bring real-life experiences into their play.

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

• Staff use questions to extend children's communication and language. They repeat words back to children correctly and extend sentences when they can. This increases children's awareness of pronunciation and increases vocabulary.
• Children enjoy hearing stories. They sit entertained and enthralled as staff immerse them in interactive storytelling. This promotes a love of books and motivates early reading.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their mathematical thinking skills. For example, children scoop flour onto balancing scales with meaning and purpose to make them balance.
• Staff provide activities that all children can complete, such as making bird feeders out of cereal and pipe cleaners. This ensures that learning is embedded and supports children's self-esteem as they encounter achievement.
• Staff support children to process their own experiences through role play. This helps children to build resilience for the challenges they face.
• The writing area provides free choice and access to a variety of resources. Paper, pencils and wipe boards provide opportunities for older children to use tools for mark making. Sand trays allow younger children to enjoy mark making with their fingers. Staff thoughtfully extend children's learning, and this supports a structured progression through the stages of early writing.
• The manager ensures that risk assessments are implemented effectively while suitability checks are completed for those who are connected to the registration of the pre-school and for staff who have contact with children. This helps to ensure that children are safe.
• Children play well together in friendship groups. They hold conversations and eagerly tell each other, 'Snack's ready.'
• Children's behaviour is good. Staff support children to develop their independence. Children pour their own drinks and choose from a selection of healthy foods at snack time. However, staff have not considered how to support children to build on this, for example cutting and chopping up their own fruit.
• Parents praise the pre-school for its calm environment and old-fashioned feel. Staff keep them updated about what their children are learning through the use of social media and face-to-face contact. Parents express that their children make good progress at the setting and that children bring play inspired by the setting home with them.
• Staff reflect on the environment to ensure that the needs of all children are met. A calm corner with a den supports children who may need a quieter space. This promotes positive behaviour and supports children's well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children to develop the skills and confidence needed for cutting and chopping their own foods at snack time.