St Peters Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a welcoming and secure environment for children. Children show excitement as they arrive and run into the open arms of staff, before engaging in a selection of well-planned activities. Children who are still settling into the pre-school are given extra support and reassurance. This helps them learn quickly that the pre-school is a safe place to be and that staff are kind, friendly and fun. Staff get to know children well and plan a broad and balanced curriculum that builds on what children already know. Children are inspired and motivated through a variety of stimulating activities based on their current interests. Consequently, all children, including those who need additional support, make good progress from their starting points.

Staff are excellent role models, and this positively impacts the way children behave. Minor altercations are dealt with swiftly and sensitively, as staff remind children of the pre-school rules, such as 'eating nicely' at the table. Staff remind children to take turns with resources and toys. As a result, children learn why sharing is important in developing friendships. Staff teach children about the skills needed for future learning, such as becoming more independent in dressing and self-care and listening to what others have to say. Consequently, children are prepared for the next stage in their education, such as moving on to school.

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

• Leadership at the pre-school has recently changed and is adapting well to working alongside an already strong and well-established staff team. There are future plans in place to further support staff to enhance their already good teaching to positively impact the children in their care. Staff report that their well-being is very high and that leaders ensure that they feel valued and listened to. Parents provide extremely good feedback on the supportive staff team who have built meaningful bonds with their children.
• Leaders ensure that referrals are made to the appropriate outside agencies in order to further support children. Staff use advice provided by external professionals to create and implement individual learning plans. This approach helps to ensure that children who are at risk of falling behind are provided with the same level of care and education as other children.
• Overall, interactions between staff and children are stimulating and purposeful. Staff identify areas that children need to develop further and areas that children might need further support with. However, there are times during adult-led activities when staff do not consistently support and encourage more hesitant children to interact in a group. At these times, more confident children capture staff's attention, and quieter children are occasionally overlooked. As a result, some children do not always consistently receive the same learning experience as others.
• Generally, staff provide a language-rich environment. They use rhymes and discussions to introduce new vocabulary and support children's developing communication skills. However, there are times when staff ask children questions in quick succession. This does not give children enough time to process language and can prevent them from contributing their own opinions and ideas.
• Staff teach children to understand healthy lifestyles. Children have daily opportunities to play in the fresh air or to walk around the community in which they live. They prepare and serve themselves a healthy snack of fruit and vegetables. Staff encourage children to contribute to discussions about what foods are healthy and unhealthy for our bodies.
• Staff weave mathematical learning into children's play. They model the language of size, volume and number in everyday discussions. Children go on to use mathematical concepts, which they include in their own self-facilitated play and daily routines. For example, children count as they hand out plates to each other. They predict height and measure as they build a bridge over a toy train track. Children know the meaning of the words 'higher', 'heavier' and 'length' and use the words accurately during their play.
• Staff promote children's creativity and imagination well. Activities are based on children's current interests. For example, for children who enjoy trains, staff create a role-play area of a train station. They play alongside children and extend their learning. For instance, staff encourage children to make tickets and make a map of 'a journey to London on a train'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen interactions so that children, particularly less confident children, fully engage and benefit from the learning opportunities
• give children more time to think and respond to questions asked to support their speaking and critical thinking skills.