St Joseph's Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are excited to arrive at the pre-school and remain deeply engaged in meaningful play throughout the day. They confidently explore a wealth of exciting learning opportunities, demonstrating a deep sense of security and well-being in their environment. Staff support children to start their day with a positive attitude to their learning. They conduct a circle-time activity at the start of each session, where children welcome one another and visitors. Children play an active role in planning the day. They discuss the activities they wish to explore and the rules they follow in their pre-school.

Children develop close bonds with one another and are observed supporting their friends in tasks. For example, children help each other put on coats and gloves before going outside. Children form equally close relationships with the nurturing staff. They chat to them confidently about their families and home life, and seek staff out for affection when tired. The manager fosters these close relationships well by establishing a highly effective key-person system. Key staff have a deep understanding of children's unique circumstances. They provide care based on this knowledge as well as drawing from their own personal experiences. This well-considered approach enables children to settle well and feel safe in their new environment.

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

• Staff understand the vital role they play in preparing children for their next stage of learning. They encourage children to be independent by taking on age-appropriate responsibilities in the pre-school. For example, older children support their younger friends to become familiar with daily routines. They hold their hands when going outside to play, and guide them to their seats at lunchtime. However, when children encounter conflicts during play, they are not always supported to develop strategies that will enable them to resolve future disputes independently.
• Staff plan meaningful opportunities to support children's understanding of ways of life different to their own. They celebrate the various traditions that are reflected in this diverse pre-school. Parents are encouraged to visit the pre-school and share their unique customs. For example, children recall the delicious foods they tasted when exploring Diwali traditions.
• Children are encouraged to develop a love of books and reading to support their early literacy skills. They enjoy regular story sessions with enthusiastic staff, delighting at the amusing voices staff use. The manager and staff operate a library system. Children select books written in a variety of languages to share with their families at home.
• The manager reflects well on the care she provides. Staff work closely with families, gathering a deep understanding of children's early experiences. The manager uses this knowledge to make well-considered changes to care practices. For example, she has recently introduced new arrangements during snack times and lunchtimes to enhance children's social development.
• Parents' relationships with the staff who care for their children are strong. All parents speak highly of the staff and the nurturing care they provide. They deeply value the support staff offer when settling children into their new environment. Parents comment on the high-quality communication they receive and how this enables them to support their children's progress at home.
• Staff support children's mathematical learning well across the pre-school. They make the most of daily tasks to develop children's understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, at the start of the session, children count how many of their friends are at pre-school. Staff encourage them to check this at various points throughout the day and calculate how many children may have gone home. However, on occasion, some staff miss rich opportunities to engage deeply with children and promote their curiosity and language development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance children's understanding of appropriate behaviour and implement strategies to enable them to manage conflict better in their play
• establish robust methods of coaching and mentoring to support staff to identify areas to enhance their practice and consistently provide high-quality teaching opportunities.