South Vale Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate that they have positive and strong bonds with staff. Staff greet them warmly and children show that they are excited to arrive at the pre-school. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills indoors and outdoors. Children climb and balance as they use the indoor climbing frame and skilfully balance across logs outdoors. Staff provide enough tools and equipment for all children to take part and provide a commentary to their play. They recognise the importance of supporting younger children's language development.

Staff plan well-thought-out activities to enable all children to take part in the different learning opportunities. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works with staff to ensure that focused plans are in place to support children's development. The SENCo works with outside agencies and organises individual sessions to support children with SEND.

Children behave very well. They know the routines and rules for the nursery. Staff are consistent in their expectations of children's behaviour. They use lots of praise and positive reinforcement to good effect, and children are keen to please.

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

• Staff support children's communication and language development well. For instance, they read stories and sing nursery rhymes with them. Staff listen to children and use lots of repetition to support their speaking. For example, they listen to what children have to say and carefully model language and new words so that children can hear them correctly. Staff plan specific programmes of support to ensure that all children develop their communication and language skills.
• The manager and staff provide a broad, ambitious curriculum, which helps children to progress in their learning. Staff use the information they gather about the children to ensure that progress is made. At times, their intention of what they want children to learn is too wide and does not sufficiently focus on the skills that children need to learn. This means that, sometimes, staff do not focus activities sharply enough on specific knowledge that individual children need to learn.
• Staff identify the importance of supporting children's language development and social skills throughout the pre-school. Children show delight and positively interact with music sessions. For example, they listen and eagerly sing along to the songs they have learned. Children take turns to choose their favourite songs and listen to their friends' ideas.
• Children demonstrate an understanding of the routines. Staff support children to learn to be independent and manage their own care needs. For example, they learn how to put on and take off their own coats and help to prepare tables for mealtimes. However, at times, opportunities for children to extend this independence are not consistently provided by all staff.
• Staff use a range of opportunities to support children in their emerging understanding of mathematics. Staff model counting and praise children as they readily join in to count jungle animals during an imaginative play activity.
• The manager supports staff well to ensure that they receive the support and time they need to be effective in their roles. Staff report that the manager and the whole team work cooperatively to ensure that they are providing the best possible service. Staff undertake specific training in relation to their professional development, which further enhances their skills and knowledge.
• Parents excitedly comment on how the pre-school staff support their children. They comment that communication is good and they receive regular updates on their children's learning. Parents say that staff are attentive and kind to their children. They discuss how their children have been supported in transitions, such as starting at the pre-school and moving on to school.
• The manager plans opportunities to support children's wider personal development. For example, children enjoy visits in the local community. Parent workshops are provided on supporting oral health and healthy eating. This ensures that children and their families develop positive attitudes to healthy lifestyle choices.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend opportunities for all children to develop their independence and self-help skills even further
• continue to develop staff's knowledge of the curriculum learning intentions, so that all activities for children have a clear focus.