St Michael's Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and confidently separate from their parents ready for their time at pre-school. Children develop their independence when they find their name pegs and hang up their belongings. Staff happily welcome children with a smile and are close by to support children if they need it.

Leaders and staff design and implement a curriculum that they tailor to meet the needs of the children. Throughout the pre-school, there is a focus on promoting children's resilience and independence to prepare them for their next stage of learning. For example, staff support the youngest children to select activities and provide them with opportunities to play independently and follow their own ideas. Staff empower older children to have a go. When children create models from recycled materials, they persist if their creation does not go as they planned, and they are confident to ask for help if they need it. Staff use words of reassurance and praise, which motivates the children. Children develop a very positive attitude to learning and enjoy the process of creation.

Children behave well and develop meaningful relationships with staff and their friends. Younger children work together in the garden to make a 'chocolate cake' in the mud kitchen. When they need more water for their mixture, staff support them to access this from the water butt. Older children create their own games in the park area. They seek staff and friends to join their game and excitedly run around and 'catch' each other while adhering to the rules for park play.

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

• The manager is very supportive of her staff. Staff speak of the excellent support they receive and their love for working at the pre-school. They have regular opportunities to access training. Recently, they attended training to develop children's mark-making and literacy skills. The manager identified this as an area for development so was keen to upskill her team. Staff have implemented this into their practice and provide children with various opportunities to make marks, be this writing lists, creating maps or using chalks. Children learn that every mark matters and develop their early writing skills.
• Staff provide good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that need extra support. Staff identify quickly if children have gaps in their development. They liaise with parents and other professionals to get children the support they need. Staff adapt their teaching style to meet the needs of each child and weave targets and next steps for learning into play. Children make good progress, and families are very well supported.
• The manager recognises that not all children have the same life experiences. She values the importance of exposing children to a wide range of opportunities while at pre-school. She arranges visits to the local farm, they grow vegetables at their allotment and visit the local church. The manager uses funding she receives for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to promote their development and well-being. If there is money left over when children move to school, she sources school uniform and shoes to help ensure that children have a positive experience when they begin their school journey.
• All staff know all children very well and how to best challenge and support their learning needs. Staff seek guidance from local schools to ensure that children that need extra challenge within the pre-school curriculum are being taught correctly. Staff use this information to introduce children to early reading and writing and develop their confidence and resilience with new learning. Children relish the opportunity for challenge and are very well prepared for their next stage of learning.
• There are good partnerships with parents. Parents speak of the kind, nurturing staff who give their children confidence and help them develop skills for life. They share that their children are resilient and love to learn. Staff provide opportunities for parents to attend termly meetings to discuss their children's learning.
• Staff begin to help children to learn the routine expectations. Older children fetch their own coats and welly boots and intently listen to the rules for the park. However, at times, staff do not make it clear to the children in the two-year-old's room what is happening now or next during the routine. For example, staff ask children to sit for a story, but they do not remind them of the expectations to sit and listen. Some children play with other toys, and others get up and walk around, which distracts those children that are attempting to listen to the story. During routine tasks, such as tidy-up time, staff do not make all children aware of this or tell them what is next. Some children wander unaware of what is happening, and others become upset. Staff do not always use strategies to help children understand the routines and get the most from all learning experiences.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to use consistent strategies to help the youngest children understand the expectations for the routines so they can learn from all opportunities on offer.