St Peter and St Paul's Church of England Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager and excited to enter this setting. They confidently separate from their parents and carers, keen to explore the vast range of activities and resources. Staff work closely with parents to keep up to date with children's current interests. They then use this information to plan a curriculum that on the whole, is ambitious for all children. Staff know children well. They work with children to create their own 'golden rules', such as kind hands and indoor voices. This helps children to remember and understand the rules. All children behave well and demonstrate respect for their peers and adults. Children's well-being is supported well. Staff provide reassurance to children and have developed positive relationships with them. This helps children to feel safe and secure. They are confident to access activities of their own choosing. Staff are deployed well to support children if needed.

Staff are passionate about providing all children with experiences that help them to thrive. Children talk about their 'pre-school garden' where they grow vegetables and fruits. Children enjoy watering and looking after the vegetables before using them to make a soup. Children donate their leftover, home-grown vegetables to a local food bank. Staff teach children some ways to care for their environment. For example, children place their yoghurt pots into recycling bins after lunch. Staff talk to children about the effects of recycling. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is developing well.

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

• Children at this setting have lots of opportunities to share their opinions and have their own voice. Children choose their own topics, such as 'dinosaur world'. Staff use these topics to plan activities to aid their development. As a result, children have a positive attitude to learning.
• The curriculum for physical development is strong. Children access weekly physical education sessions at the local school. They use large-scale equipment to develop their gross motor skills. In addition, children confidently access resources such as pencils and scissors to promote their fine motor skills. All children make good progress from their starting points.
• Children accessing funded places are supported well. Leaders use additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, to provide children with a wide range of experiences. For example, leaders and staff take the children on public transport, such as the bus, and regularly go to the local canal to watch the barges go by and feed the ducks. For some children, this is the first time they have had such experiences. Children are developing knowledge of their local community and the world around them.
• Leaders provide children with a curriculum that is built on developing independence and life skills, alongside their interests. They focus heavily on preparing pre-school children to develop the skills they need for their transition to school. However, they have not yet considered how to adapt the curriculum more precisely for younger children, particularly during whole-group activities. This does not help younger children to engage more purposefully in learning.
• Staff support children's communication and language development well. They skilfully introduce new words and engage children in conversations. Staff are aware of children who need more support to communicate in social situations and make sure these children do not go unnoticed. Staff regularly assess children's communication and language development. This means any gaps are identified swiftly and support is put into place.
• Leaders give staff well-being a high priority. They regularly check in with staff through supervisions and daily conversations. Staff report their workload is well managed as leaders support them with additional time to complete tasks. Leaders also reward staff with incentives, such as extra breaks for their achievements. Staff feel valued.
• Parents are very complimentary of the setting and the staff. They feel involved in the setting and particularly like events such as stay and play. Parents report staff are 'excellent' at communicating and sharing ideas to help children with their development at home. Partnerships with parents are effective and provide continuity in children's learning.
• Children are becoming increasingly independent in managing their personal needs. For example, they are confident to wash and dry their own hands before eating. Staff read stories and talk to the children about dental hygiene. Children are aware that chocolate contains sugar and the effect too much sugar can have on their teeth. Staff provide support to parents around healthy lunch box choices where appropriate. This contributes to children's growing knowledge of healthy lifestyles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• adapt the curriculum more precisely for younger children, to engage them in more purposeful learning.