St Matthews Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff know each and every child exceptionally well. They listen very carefully to children's ideas and respond enthusiastically. Children demonstrate that they feel valued and important. Children who speak English as an additional language receive excellent support. Staff recognise and celebrate their culture and heritage. For instance, they make sushi with all the children and send the recipe home with all parents. They incorporate children's home languages into the setting and support children to speak in English. Children have a strong sense of belonging and communicate exceptionally well. Staff go above and beyond to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. They focus very precisely on what children need to excel in their learning and development. Children thrive with the excellent support they receive.

Leaders and staff provide an inspiring and ambitious curriculum. Staff interactions with children are consistently high quality. All children make excellent progress in their learning and development. Staff plan a sequential educational programme where children build on the skills and knowledge they already have. For example, children know how many adults are present and how many children. They build on this knowledge by working out how many people are present altogether. Children demonstrate superb attitudes to learning.

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

• The inspiring and well-designed and well-sequenced curriculum allows children to practise and consolidate the knowledge and skills that they have already gained. For example, children have learned about mathematical positional language and practise putting animals on a snow scene in different places. Children talk about where they have positioned the animals, confirming the previous knowledge they have gained.
• Staff have very high expectations of what children are capable of achieving. They provide children with ample opportunities to develop their self-confidence. Children hang up the work they create that they are proud of. They make decisions about the experiences they are engaging with, such as where to place a ramp to roll cars down. Children's behaviour is exemplary, and they are inquisitive, curious and self-assured.
• Staff have established an excellent educational programme to enhance children's communication and language skills. Staff use a breadth of language with children, which extends their vocabulary. Staff give children detailed explanations, which enhances understanding. Children participate in group activities where they listen to each other respectfully. Children record key messages and play them back to their friends. Children are highly effective communicators.
• Staff purposefully plan a wide range of high-quality experiences focusing on developing children's specific physical skills. For instance, staff place a small amount of water in a tray and children squeeze sponges to soak up the water, developing the strength in their hands. Children quickly become proficient at using their physical skills.
• Staff build strong and effective partnerships with parents. They visit families at home before children start at the setting so that they get to know children and families well. Parents are fully informed about children's experiences in the setting and are provided with a wealth of detailed information about how to continue learning at home. Children benefit from close partnership working.
• Leaders and staff engage in highly focused training and professional development. They use training opportunities to reflect carefully on their practice and make continuous improvements to their work with children. They have participated in training related to creating joy and wonder for children. Consequently, they reviewed and improved several aspects of the curriculum for children. Children are highly engaged in activities and have excellent levels of concentration.
• Staff provide an excellent, inclusive experience for children. They understand the uniqueness of each child. Staff think deeply about the things children like to do and provide opportunities based on children's interests and development stages. Children engage in French lessons and baking activities. They learn about how caterpillars change into butterflies, and they make 'marvel crumble'. The impressive opportunities offered to children help them to be superbly prepared for their next stage of education.