St John's Pre-School Macclesfield

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Confident, smiling children eagerly enter this setting. They are warmly welcomed by familiar staff. Children independently decide where to play. They choose to explore oranges. Staff encourage children to squeeze the orange, to feel its textures. They discuss its shape, introducing children to new words, such as 'sphere'. Staff know the children well and they plan activities that are formed from children's interests. Children are curious and attentive. Their laughter and chatter can be heard throughout the day as they play together. Children behave very well. They turn-take and pass items to each other. Staff give children lots of encouragement and they role model positive behaviour.

Outdoors, children ride bicycles, skilfully manoeuvring around objects. Children climb over tyres and have plenty of space to run, jump and balance. Children are physically active and develop their large muscles. In the garden, children enjoy growing mint, fruit and vegetables. Children are delighted to open a pea pod and count the peas inside. Staff are always nearby to support children. They teach them how to safely cut the flowers they have grown. Children learn to use equipment safely and they smile with pride as they put the cut flowers in a jug on the table. Children have a tremendous time at this safe, welcoming, home-from-home setting.

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

• The newly formed management team works well together. They have established a clear vision for the setting and they support staff through regular discussions, team meetings, appraisals and planning. Communication is good. Staff say they feel valued, that they are motivated and staff retention is good. Managers and staff are committed to offering a curriculum which helps children build their confidence and learn in readiness for school. Children make good progress in their learning.
• Partnership with parents is a particular strength. Parents comment on the setting using words like 'nurturing' and 'supportive'. They say their children are 'extremely happy' and that they are well prepared for school. Parents feel their views are listened to. For example, their views in keeping children with allergies safe at mealtimes are welcomed and respected. Children have consistency between the home and the setting.
• Staff are skilled and quickly identify children who may need additional support. They have developed excellent relationships with the link health visitor. This supports swift referrals where needed. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support at the earliest opportunity. Consequently, they make good progress.
• Staff take great care to understand children's starting points. They use these to plan appropriate next steps for each child. Activities and staff interactions target learning and help children to thrive. However, sometimes, children become competent in a skill before the next stage of learning is planned. On these occasions, children practise existing skills but staff do not plan sharply to support children to continuously accelerate their learning.
• The setting works closely with the local school. The school stated that children find collecting their lunch tray difficult. Staff have adapted snack time, so children choose and collect their snack. They independently carry their snack to their seat at the table. Children are completing meaningful tasks that develop skills in readiness for school.
• Children recall and reflect on activities during the day; staff encourage this discussion, asking with genuine interest about their learning. For example, children talk about making 'orange smoothies'. Staff help children describe what they did. Children are listened to and they develop new language and good conversational skills.
• Each part of the routine is used to help children learn. At snack time, children work out how many orange pips they can find. Staff skilfully intervene to discuss what happens if you add one on, or take one away. Children struggle taking the lid off their yogurt pot. Staff offer encouragement and acknowledge the difficulty of the task. Children persevere, developing their sense of control as they persist with the task.
• Children develop their knowledge of nature as they plant and harvest in the garden. They use binoculars to spot birds and insects, ticking them off on a list as they spot them. Children are seeing a purpose to writing and are practising pencil control.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance planning to sequence learning and develop children's next steps to continue to support children to make progress.