St Edmunds Pre-School Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children express happiness and comfort. They arrive with smiles, eager to join their friends and participate in familiar routines. They flourish in the care of the staff, who provide a joyful and secure environment. The excellent skills of the staff and positive guidance support the children in developing a clear understanding of boundaries. Children are supported to understand and manage their emotions, with staff using visual aids, positive behaviour strategies and responsive interactions. Staff are highly attuned to children's emotional needs and work closely with families to ensure continuity of care and support. Staff promote children's well-being to an exceptionally high degree.

Relationships are at the heart of their practice. Staff know each child remarkably well and work collaboratively to create a calm, nurturing environment where children feel safe, valued and confident. The setting is deeply embedded in the local community and reflects a culture of respect, kindness and high expectations. The curriculum is highly ambitious and inclusive, designed to meet the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It is broad, well sequenced and responsive to children's interests and developmental stages. Children with additional needs benefit from tailored strategies, close monitoring and multi-agency collaboration. All children make excellent progress from their starting points.

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

• Leadership is exceptional. Leaders demonstrate a steadfast commitment to delivering high-quality early years education. Their extensive experience and long-standing presence in the community are reflected in the strong relationships they have built. They have a deep commitment and passion for the setting. Staff speak positively about the support they receive, particularly regarding their well-being. Systems for regular supervision, training and collaborative planning and evaluation ensure that there is a shared understanding of high-quality practice.
• Children demonstrate exemplary behaviour and attitudes. They are confident, independent and highly motivated. Staff model respectful interactions and support children in understanding and managing their emotions. Children understand the routines, feel secure and know what is expected of them. They play harmoniously, follow rules and show kindness and empathy towards others.
• Staff support children to explore their identity, such as looking in mirrors to discuss skin and eye colour to create self-portraits. Children are encouraged to talk about their families and experiences, fostering a sense of self and belonging. Children's learning is enriched through science experiments, cultural celebrations and community visits. Planting, collecting natural objects, and learning about festivals such as Diwali and Chinese New Year provide opportunities for exploration, cultural awareness and understanding of the world.
• Early literacy is exceptionally well supported through letter recognition, mark making and story engagement. Children choose books to share with parents, promoting a love of reading and strengthening home-learning links. The thoughtful questioning, gentle prompts and praise from staff encourage children's independence while offering support when needed. The use of a doll to reinforce praise adds a playful and affirming dimension to the learning, enhancing emotional engagement.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills extremely well by creating a language-rich environment with conversation, stories, singing and role play. Staff expose children to new and repeated words, helping them develop a wide vocabulary and engage in meaningful conversations, such as when children proudly talk about a dinosaur. High-quality interactions ensure that children are engaged, feel listened to and are learning at the right level to promote their growing understanding.
• The setting places a strong emphasis on personal development. Self-care routines such as handwashing, pouring drinks and putting on shoes help promote independence skills. Children learn about safety through discussions and practical experiences, such as strapping dolls into buggies and participating in fire drills. Oral health is promoted through a toothbrushing programme, where children learn to brush their teeth and understand the importance of dental hygiene.
• Parental feedback reflects an exceptionally high level of satisfaction with the setting. Families consistently describe the environment as calm, nurturing and safe. Children are reported to be happy, settled and eager to attend, which is indicative of strong emotional security and positive relationships with staff. Parents value the strong communication, personalised support and positive impact the setting has on their children's development and well-being.