Springboard

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this welcoming, inclusive environment. It feels like a family, where everyone cares for each other and the smallest achievements are excitably celebrated. The highly motivated, enthusiastic practitioners are led by an inspirational manager and leadership team. Children calmly arrive at the setting, and are supported to settle in their own time. Parents confidently leave them in the care of the warm, experienced practitioners.

Practitioners have high expectations of children. Working closely with outside professionals, they plan highly effective activities for children based on children's interests and needs. They deliver these with such dedication and commitment that children are highly interested and engaged. Practitioners encourage children to have a go before they step in to help. For example, children are given time to try to put on their coats independently and are encouraged to finishing doing up the zip. Children are making excellent progress from their individual starting points.

Practitioners use exciting methods to encourage children to communicate effectively in their own way. For example, they play the 'balloon game', where children need to say 'stop' when they think the balloon is big enough, before it pops. Children's choices are respected, helping them to develop a sense of self-worth. Practitioners use items such as picture boards to communicate routines to the children and help them to choose what they want to do next.

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

• The manager is highly reflective of practice and motivated, always striving to improve the already excellent provision and ensure her practitioners are up to date with current practices. The practitioners have regular supervisions to discuss their work and ongoing professional development. Practitioners feel very well supported.
• Children have fantastic consistency of care. The pre-school works very closely with other settings that children attend. For example, practitioners from the other settings are invited in to access specialist training, and practitioners speak on the phone, sharing relevant and useful information about children.
• Parents cannot praise the setting enough. They feel confident leaving their children, and say the manager and practitioners go 'above and beyond', supporting them with all aspects of their family life. For example, the setting runs 'Saturdads', which gives dads a place to come with their children, meet other dads in a similar situation, and speak to practitioners. During the COVID- 19 pandemic, the setting stayed in contact with families via video and telephone calls, and gave activity ideas and kept in touch with the children. Parents say they felt very well supported over periods of national lockdown.
• Practitioners know the children and families extremely well and children are skilfully supported in their learning. Practitioners' interactions are of a high quality. They are incredibly enthusiastic and clearly love what they do. They use highly successful strategies to keep children's interest and help them to be as deeply engaged as possible. For example, when teaching children letter sounds, they collectively make the sound and move their arms up and down, helping to hold children's attention.
• Children who learn best outside have excellent opportunities. The recently renovated garden is safe and inviting and accessible to all. It links the two playrooms so that children can interact together. Children can investigate exciting activities and equipment that support all areas of learning. Practitioners engage very sensitively and successfully in children's play and children squeal with delight during games with the bean bags.
• There is a high level of respect for all children. Children are exceptionally well cared for and learn excellent hygiene practices. Practitioners use skilful support to help children to manage some of their own needs, such as wiping their noses when needed and washing their hands before eating.
• Children are able to start to learn simple mathematics in play and activities. For example, when playing an interesting attention and listening game, practitioners count out the pictures slowly as they place them on the floor.
• Behaviour management is excellent. When practitioners do have to intervene, they do so in a very sensitive and respectful way. For example, practitioners get down to children's level and remind them 'we can share', using signs and words to reinforce the message very effectively. They then also help the children to resolve the situation, such as by finding more cars for them to play with.