Southfields Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show excitement to go with staff on woodland walks. They understand some ways in which they can keep themselves safe when they walk with staff near roads. For instance, when staff ask children what they need to do, children reply that they need to hold hands. Children show that they enjoy being physically active. They rest their bodies over tyres and swing back and forth. When children climb up rope nets, they are supported by staff to take turns with their peers. Children develop the muscles in their hands when they copy staff to use hammers to tap golf tees into potatoes. Children learn about natural objects. For instance, staff show and explain to them that fir cones close when they are wet.

Children are supported by staff to understand about their own and others' feelings and emotions. For example, staff talk to younger children about their friends being sad if they take toys from them. When staff read older children stories about feelings, they ask them what makes them feel excited. Older children say that they are excited for Christmas. Children are supported to persevere in their play. For instance, when they attempt to complete inset puzzles, staff offer suggestions, such as to turn the puzzle pieces around. This results in children completing puzzles on their own.

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

• The management team places a focus on supporting children's communication and language skills. For example, staff sing songs with children to encourage their speaking skills. They support children to remember and say favourite phrases in books. This includes children recalling a story about a bear and saying, 'We have to go through it,' when they walk across grass.
• The management team invites other professionals into the pre-school to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work in partnership with other professionals to identify and implement targets with their key children to help close any gaps in their learning.
• Staff share information with parents to keep them informed about their children's day. This includes sending them photos of children engaged in activities. Staff share termly reports with parents and hold discussions with them about their children's learning.
• Staff understand what their key children need to learn next and help them to progress in their development. However, this information is not always shared fully across the staff team. This results in, at times, some staff not recognising how best to help children with their learning during their self-chosen play experiences. Therefore, children are not able to make the very best progress.
• The management team and staff offer children a range of nutritious meals, snacks and drinks. This contributes to promoting children's good health. Parents say that they appreciate staff encouraging their children to try new foods to help expand their diet.
• When children eat meals and snacks, staff sit alongside them, helping to make this a sociable time. Children are reminded to use good manners when they receive food. For example, staff and children sing a song about saying please and thank you.
• Children are encouraged to be independent. For example, they wash their hands prior to eating to promote hand hygiene routines. Younger children are provided with hand-over-hand support to pour their drinks. Older children manage to do this by themselves.
• Staff help children to understand when the routine of the day changes. For example, they ask children to put their hands on their heads and then knees. Children stop what they are doing and follow these instructions. However, the organisation of some daily routines is not as effective as that of others in engaging children's learning. For example, when children are supported by staff to change into outdoor clothing, this time is chaotic and some children do not focus. Furthermore, when staff ask children to tidy away toys, they do not support all children to do this.
• Staff find out about children's home life and use this information to hold discussions with children about their experiences. For example, children look at and discuss photos of their pets that are displayed. This helps children to make connections between their home and the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the sharing of information between children's key person and other staff so that children's learning and development are further supported during their self-chosen play
• review the organisation of daily routines to support all children to be engaged in learning.