South Hill Park Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate that they are happy, confident and feel secure in this friendly pre-school. They leave their parents with ease and quickly settle into their chosen activities. For example, staff support children in recalling the ingredients to make play dough for their daily session. This helps children to build on what they already know and can do.

Leaders and staff have designed a challenging, broad and balanced curriculum that supports children's learning and development. Staff observe and respond to children's interests, encouraging child-led play. As such, children immerse themselves in learning opportunities that motivate them. For instance, children spend a long time making a 'chocolate cake' in the mud kitchen. They excitedly speak to the staff, asking if they would like mint in their cake as they pick the herbs to mix into their creations. Children show great imagination as they play.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children mimic their positive interactions. As such, children are kind and show genuine concern for others. For example, as they start to mix the water into their pretend cake mix, they gently remind staff to sit in the shade out of the sun. This helps children learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

• Staff prioritise providing meaningful learning to help children make connections in their learning. They weave in every opportunity for children to use counting in their play. For example, children are delighted as they pretend to be shopkeepers and serve carrots in the role-play area. Staff count the money alongside the children as they pay for their items. They challenge children's thinking as they count out how much change they need to give their customers. This helps children develop their early numeracy skills well.
• Staff understand the importance of developing children's communication and language. They use animated storytelling to captivate children's interest. Staff use clear language. This enables children to hear the correct pronunciation of more complex words. For example, older children are articulate as they name the different dinosaurs in the story. This helps children to expand their vocabulary further. In addition, older children learn to sound out letters in their names, helping them to develop early literacy skills. However, sometimes, staff focus their attention more on developing the language skills of older children. This means that younger children's interactions with staff are not consistently embedded in practice to help children develop their growing vocabulary.
• Staff help children understand and manage their own feelings. They talk to children about how they feel and help them understand their different emotions.
• Staff sensitively offer children different strategies to help them manage their emotions. This helps children to regulate their emotions in the event of a minor disagreement. This supports children in developing their emotions, enabling them to play cooperatively with their friends.
• Staff teach children how to keep themselves healthy. For example, children know to wash their hands before mealtimes. However, there is a lack of discussion about the food being eaten and making healthy choices, including oral hygiene, to contribute to children's overall good health.
• The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Leaders act with integrity to ensure children with SEND receive the highest level of support. For example, staff complete specific training under the guidance of other professionals to support children's individual needs. This means staff are fully informed of any care or developmental needs to support children.
• Staff share regular advice and guidance on a range of topics, such as sun safety, with parents. Parents appreciate these gentle reminders. Furthermore, parents comment on the meetings they have with their children's key person and how this helps them to continue their children's learning at home. This helps to promote a consistent approach to children's learning and development.
• Leaders ensure that staff have regular supervision sessions and opportunities to develop professionally to enhance their knowledge and skills. Staff report that they feel well supported in their roles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure the youngest children receive the targeted support that they need to develop their communication and language skills even further
• support staff to promote children's understanding of healthy eating, including oral hygiene.