St. Barnabas Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are visibly happy and engaged at this welcoming and safe pre-school. They are confident to explore the varied activities set up for them. New children settling into the pre-school appear calm and content. Leaders and staff make children's emotional well-being a clear priority. Settling-in procedures help children to become familiar with the daily routines. Staff are quick to reassure children, offer comfort to them and are sensitive to their needs.

Staff plan age-appropriate and interesting activities for children to help them make good progress in all areas of learning. Staff and leaders have high expectations of all children and what they can achieve. They make children's personal, social and emotional development a clear focus, to help close any possible gaps that may have emerged following the COVID-19 pandemic. Children enjoy sensory play as they explore different kinds of bangles. They are confident to count and take turns in hanging them on a stand. Children, including toddlers, behave well. They know how to wait their turn and play cooperatively with others. Children develop good social skills.

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

• The manager and staff have a shared vision for what they want children to learn and achieve. During their time at the setting, children become confident, sociable and well-behaved learners. Staff teach children what is expected of them during daily routines and activities. For instance, children learn how to join in and behave during group activities, such as story time. Children develop their attention skills well and are confident to express what they think.
• Staff have clear plans for children's learning and know their key children well. They have a good understanding of what children need to learn next, and support them in achieving the next steps in their learning.
• Staff recognise any possible gaps in children's learning and, overall, plan effective activities to help support their development. Although partnerships with other professionals are in place, there is scope to maximise these links further, to support children's learning to a higher level.
• Parents receive regular updates about their children's development. For instance, they access information about their next steps through an online app. Staff also give parents suggestions of activities they can do at home, to further support their children's development, and to help embed a consistent approach.
• Staff provide many opportunities for children to be physically active to support their health and well-being. For instance, children learn to balance and move on climbing equipment and during obstacle courses. Children develop their large motor skills well.
• The manager monitors staff's performance well, for example through regular appraisals and supervisions. She identifies any areas where staff may require further development and takes action, to help maintain good-quality education for children. Staff have good opportunities to develop their teaching skills and practice, for example through attending training courses. Following the COVID- 19 pandemic, the manager has recently helped staff to improve their interactions with children, to aid children's language development and skills even further.
• Children develop their communication skills well. Staff regularly sing songs and read books to them, to help them learn the meaning and sounds of words. Children become very familiar with rhymes and stories and are able to join in. Staff skilfully support children who speak English as an additional language. They use children's home languages alongside speaking English, to help deepen children's understanding and extend their English vocabulary.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen partnership working with other professionals to enhance the support available to children and help them to make the best possible progress.