St Oswald's Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this inclusive and nurturing setting. They are extremely happy and settle with ease. Staff have transformed the learning environment. They skilfully ensure children experience awe and wonder through a carefully planned curriculum that ignites their curiosity for learning. For example, children are provided with excellent opportunities to develop their creative talents and express themselves through art and design in the setting's 'art studio'. Children explore a range of different mediums and artistic styles. They confidently ascribe meaning to their prints and gleefully discuss how mixing colours together creates new colours.

Staff act as incredible role models for respecting others, sharing and turn taking. Children play harmoniously together and their behaviour is exemplary. Children demonstrate excellent consideration and empathy. For instance, they beam with delight as they put on their high-visibility waistcoats when they are chosen to be 'helper of the day'. They excitedly exclaim to visitors that they are, 'Jack the guinea pig's helper today!'

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager and staff provided parents with videos and activity packs to enable them to continue children's learning and development at home. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities(SEND) make rapid progress in their development.

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

• The dedicated manager has clear learning intentions and high expectations for all children. She provides staff with highly focused support and training to help them to develop their practice to an exceptional level. For example, all staff have recently completed qualifications in a language programme that helps to build children's speech through the use of signs and symbols. Children readily use this communication with their friends. Staff teach parents how to use this as well, further supporting children's communication at home.
• Staff ensure that children have the best possible start in life. They provide facilities, such as a food bank for families that enables children to have a healthy and varied diet. Children make their own soup at pre-school and take the recipe home, encouraging parents to be involved in this process.
• Staff are excellent at helping children to become critical thinkers and solve problems. For example, older children are fully engaged as they match the padlocks with the correct key to unlock a variety of different boxes. Toddlers are fascinated and become deeply absorbed as staff encourage them to help melt the ice to expose their favourite objects. Children demonstrate an excellent 'can-do' attitude.
• The highly passionate special educational needs coordinator develops effective interventions that build on key observations made by all staff. For example, during a small group activity, children who need additional speech and language support demonstrate progress by repeating the words 'penguin', 'pepper' and 'pizza' and understanding that they all begin with the same sound. This shows evidence of previous interventions. Additional funding has been used to develop an inspiring sensory room.
• The pre-school is an integral part of the local community. For example, staff hold events such as 'pre-loved jumble sales'. Staff understand and value the various cultural backgrounds of the children. They make it a priority to understand children's home lives so they can meet the diverse needs of the children who attend the pre-school. Leaders signpost parents to additional support they can access for their children and families and provide access to a translator.
• Physical development is a strength within the setting. For example, children participate in weekly sports sessions to help them develop their gross motor skills to the highest level. All children and their parents accessed a visiting sports coach to experience high-quality games and physical activities.
• Partnerships with parents are exceptionally strong. Parents say that staff are very accommodating and foster an inclusive environment. They value the expertise that is shared with them to support children's learning at home. For example, they provide a reading library that children can borrow books from, to help them to develop a love of reading at home, as well as in the setting.
• The manager gathers the views of staff and parents and uses this information to help plan clear, continuous improvements. Supervision for staff is supportive and encouraging. Time is set aside for staff to complete essential paperwork, while leaders are committed to reducing the burden of paperwork on staff.