St Joseph's Little Scholars

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, are happy when they arrive at the pre-school. Children show that they feel safe and secure and are eager to play with the activities on offer. They confidently join staff to share their learning experiences. One example of this is when children use numbers in their play and compare the size of objects. Children pretend to be a shop keeper and staff ask them if they can buy a carrot. Children reply, 'That is sixty pounds'. Staff put the carrot at the side of children's feet and ask them which is the biggest, their feet or the carrot. Children use large shapes to construct and build. They solve problems and show good imaginative skills when they think about how the pieces fit together to make a 'rocket'.

Children are independent and complete everyday tasks for themselves. For example, they show good personal hygiene routines when they wash their hands before they eat and when they dispose of tissues after they wipe their nose. Children behave well and learn to share and take turns with their friends. They use a sand timer to let them know when it is their turn to play with a toy that another child is playing with.

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

• Children with SEND are supported by staff who know the children well. Staff liaise with parents and other professionals to share information about children's abilities. Additional funding is used to provide one-to-one support from staff to meet children's individual needs. For example, to develop their confidence to move into the playroom with other children when they arrive.
• The manager supports staff and ensures their well-being. Staff attend supervision meetings to reflect on their practice and to identify further professional development opportunities. Recent training supports staff to understand how to offer children opportunities to develop all aspects of learning outdoors. For example, to encourage children to look at books, develop their imaginative skills and use chalk to make marks. This is particularly beneficial for those children who prefer to learn outdoors.
• Staff use their good knowledge of children to provide opportunities to enhance the experiences children receive at home. For instance, to help children to learn about similarities and differences, such as to hear music from around the world.
• Occasionally, staff do not extend children's learning through play. One example of this is when staff talk to children about hot air balloons. They ask children to tell them about what they know about hot air balloons but do not help children to have a deeper knowledge of them.
• Staff help children to learn how they can keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, when children go down a slide, they remind them to hold onto the side with both hands. Staff talk to children about the importance of cleaning their teeth.
• The manager and staff plan a curriculum that gives children the skills they need for future learning. For instance, they support children's personal, social and emotional development. The manager and staff help children to feel emotionally secure. Staff provide familiar activities for new children that they know interests them, such as experiences to explore dough.
• Overall, staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. For instance, they find out and use key words in children's home language when they talk to them. However, during some story telling sessions, staff do not help children to gain a better understanding of English words to enable them to follow the story.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Recently, parents have been welcomed back into the nursery when they collect their children at the end of the day. Parents comment that they appreciate the conversations they have with staff during these times. Staff share with parents what children have been learning throughout their day at the pre-school. This helps to keep them informed about their children's development.
• Staff encourage children to use good manners, such as when they ask for food at snack time. When children play with their friends, staff talk to children about how they can manage conflicts for themselves.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop staff's knowledge of how to build further on children's development during play
• strengthen staff's understanding of how to help children who speak English as an additional language to understand English.