St Benedict's Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this well-led pre-school. They build close and respectful bonds with the warm and engaging staff. Children benefit from a wide range of interesting and engaging learning opportunities. They make good progress in their development. Children gain new understanding about a wide range of subjects. The experienced staff help them to develop their communication and language skills. For example, while staff encourage children to put on their own coats and shoes, they discuss with them how the fastenings work. Staff teach children what it is called and encourage them to think about other places that the same material is used in the pre-school. Children enjoy climbing, balancing, painting and role play.

All areas of the pre-school are set up with children's learning and engagement in mind. There are plenty of suitable resources for children to use. Staff support children to learn how to make the dough they use in their play. Children then practise rolling and shaping it, which helps to develop their strength and finer hand movements. They explore different textures, colours and aromas. Staff provide real items, such as fresh herbs, some of which they are beginning to grow with the children.

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

• Leaders plan the curriculum to help children to develop their skills and knowledge, based on a sound understanding of their needs. There is a strong focus on promoting children's communication, independence, physical development and personal and social skills. Staff show through their practice that they have a good understanding of the different areas of learning, and how to respond to children's learning needs. Over time, children's confidence to interact with adults and other children grows.
• Staff skilfully support children to learn how to manage their own behaviour. They use clear phrases and communicate their expectations clearly. For example, some children engage in building towers and others knock them down. Staff explain more-helpful and positive ways to engage in the play, inviting them to join in and rebuild the tower that they knocked down. This teaches children how to play cooperatively alongside one another.
• Clear procedures are in place to prevent the spread of infection. This supports children's health and hygiene effectively. Staff teach children to be increasingly confident in their self-care. For example, they encourage children to wipe their own noses. Children learn how to pour their own drinks and clear their plates after eating their healthy snacks.
• Good support is in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff use a range of techniques to support children to understand pre-school routines and their instructions. For example, they consistently use signs and cue cards for children. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that the plans in place are appropriate and regularly reviewed.
• Teaching from staff during individual interactions and small-group work is specifically and purposefully targeted. However, teaching is not always well matched to individual children's learning needs during some of the more routine adult-led activities, such as a whole-group conversation and singing time.
• Staff plan lots of opportunities for children to learn about different faiths and cultures around the world. However, there is less focus on helping children to learn from and understand the similarities and differences between the ways of life of different people and communities in modern Britain.
• Staff have high expectations and aspirations for children. For example, they notice when some girls are less confident with some aspects of their larger physical skills. They work to inspire and enthuse girls to become more confident in how to move freely. This helps the children to develop positive attitudes towards exercise and physical activity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve the arrangements for adult-led times, including whole-group times, to ensure that teaching is well matched to children's individual learning needs and that their learning experiences remain positive and engaging
• develop the curriculum further to help children to develop their understanding of the communities and lives of people beyond their own immediate experiences.