St. Helens Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, confident and secure in their environment. They develop strong bonds with their key persons, who are very attentive to their needs. Children are encouraged to be independent by dressing themselves and washing up their own plates and cups at snack time. They have developed a love for singing and dancing. Children sit alongside a staff member and excitedly join with actions to familiar nursery rhymes. They are encouraged to make their own choices and take turns choosing what song they would like to sing. Children eagerly join in with regular yoga and music and movement sessions that help them to develop physically and promote a sense of well-being.

Staff provide an environment where children are free to explore and learn through producing their own creations. For example, children show interest in train tracks and build their own tunnels from shoe boxes. They have meaningful experiences to learn about the natural world. Children recycle their food waste to make compost and then use this to grow vegetables in the garden. They follow instructions well, have positive behaviour and make their own choices about what they would like to play with. Staff have high expectations for all children and use their knowledge of the children's needs to support learning further.

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

• Staff know how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with parents and other professionals to identify, plan and coordinate support for them. Staff make effective use of funding to provide high levels of care and help children achieve their goals.
• Children explore the rich learning environment. They play with purpose in the woodwork area. Children learn how to take risks and how to use equipment safely, such as screws and hammers. This supports their fine and gross motor skills and helps them to gain more self-confidence.
• Staff make regular assessments of what children know and can do. Gaps in children's learning are quickly identified and appropriate support is put in place. Staff offer encouragement and praise to engage children and give them a sense of achievement.
• Staff have built strong partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly of them and feel informed about what their child is learning. They report that staff communicate well and have provided good support for their children in order to get them prepared for their next stage of education.
• The manager leads her team with enthusiasm and is passionate about providing a supportive setting for children and their families. She has made good use of training from the local authority and engages in fundraising initiatives with the local community. The manager reflects on the quality of the provision and makes positive changes to improve outcomes for all. She has a high focus on providing a setting that is at the heart of the community.
• Children have a good understanding of healthy eating and hygiene. They confidently wash their hands, and staff discuss with them why this is important. Children are provided with opportunities to try new and exciting foods. They discuss what food is good for them and the importance of a balanced diet.
• Staff pay particular attention to supporting children's personal, social and emotional development. The pre-school has used funding effectively to send staff on training, to extend their knowledge and support the children further. As a result, children leave the pre-school being more able to self-regulate their emotions and develop skills they need for the next stage of their education.
• Staff provide children with a broad range of activities that reflect their interests. Staff are aware that children have different developmental needs and adapt activities for this. They provide a language-rich environment, which includes introducing new words and stories, particularly to children who are learning to speak English as an additional language. There are occasions when staff engagement could be more effective by using questioning to challenge children's thinking and extend their learning even further.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• raise the quality of teaching to a higher level by supporting staff to consistently make the most of learning opportunities, in order to challenge the children and extend their knowledge and skills further.