St. Christopher's Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and safe at the pre-school. They have warm and caring relationships with their key person and enjoy spending time with them. Children behave well. Older children help by pouring water for younger children as they play. Children are engaged in their learning. They mix the mud and water as they make a 'swamp'. The dinosaurs visit the swamp and children delight in thinking of new ideas as they play in the mud kitchen.

Children are encouraged to develop their physical skills. They balance on the crates in the garden. They look to their key person for support when they feel unsteady. Younger children explore their senses as they smell and taste different fruits. Older children develop their small-muscle skills as they use small tools to squeeze the juice from the orange. Children develop their confidence and make good progress in their physical skills.

The management team has reflected on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's learning and development. They work with the local children's centre to provide targeted support for children who need help with their communication and language development. This helps to provide support early for children so they can make the best possible progress they are capable of.

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

• The management team design and implement an ambitious curriculum for children. They consider what children already know and can do. They share the curriculum with staff and parents. Staff plan experiences which build on children's prior learning. Children make rapid progress.
• Parent partnerships are a priority at the pre-school. The management team and staff work closely with families and share what their children are learning. Parents and grandparents comment on the excellent communication from the pre-school. They share how they receive a book each week to help support their child's learning at home.
• The key-person system is highly effective. Staff know individual children well. They know what children already know and how to build on this to support their individual learning needs. Parents talk about their child's key person and how they have gone 'above and beyond' to support their child and the family. As a result, children and families form excellent relationships with their key person.
• Staff support children's emotional well-being. They quickly provide comfort to children if they are unsettled. During adult-led activities, staff introduce different emotions and talk to children about their feelings. However, staff do not always give children opportunities to further understand their emotions. For example, they do not consistently name children's emotions as they arise.
• Children's communication and language are supported well in the pre-school. Staff model new words to children. Staff give children time to repeat the words they are learning. Staff use additional strategies, including sign language, to help children to communicate as they develop their language skills. For instance, older children sign as they sing the hello song. This helps children to make good progress in their spoken language.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff use observation and assessment effectively to identify any possible gaps in children's learning. They work closely with parents and other professionals to access the right support. This helps all children to make the best possible progress they are capable of.
• The management team and key people carefully consider how they use additional funding to support children's individual learning needs. For example, they create a sensory den to provide a calming, relaxing space for children if they become distressed or anxious. Parents comment that the additional funding their child receives has been used effectively to support them.
• Staff report feeling well supported. They talk about the effective supervision sessions they have and how this develops their practice. The management team has good knowledge of child development. This helps them to further develop the curriculum and continually raise the quality of education.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• further strengthen the good teaching practices to give children more opportunities to understand and manage their own feelings.