St Vincent's de Paul RC Pre-School Group CIC

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children skip, laugh and happily greet their friends as they enter this welcoming setting. They are eager to see staff, as they enjoy warm hugs and excitedly tell them about their morning so far. Staff are just as happy to see the children, and it is clear that bonds at this setting are warm and genuine. The manager greets each parent personally and feels passionate about building a relationship with every family. Children benefit from this team approach. They quickly settle and succeed in their ongoing development. Staff have high expectations for every child. Children meet these expectations as they thrive under the familiar routines and exciting curriculum.

The manager and staff have designed an ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum. They adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of every child. This supports the unique learning goals for all children. Children are kind and helpful to their peers. They praise each other and say 'good job' when they independently access the nose-wiping station. Older children encourage younger children to try out new activities that staff have thoughtfully set out. The culture at the setting is respectful and accepting of all. Children benefit from the positive staff role models. They are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning journey, the move on to primary school.

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

• Children's personal development is well supported at this setting. The manager and staff work hard to support children to develop independence. The impact of this is especially clear when considering children's impressive personal care skills. They access the nose-wiping station without prompting. They peer closely in the mirror as they clean their noses and faces, making sure they don't miss anything. Next, they wash and dry their hands and place their tissues in the bin. They do all of this with no adult prompts or interventions. Furthermore, children collect and put away toys, used water cups and leftover art supplies. They are incredibly self-sufficient for their ages. These are important and helpful skills for children to learn.
• The manager is passionate about training and continuous professional development for staff. She connects with her staff each week to discuss strengths or areas for development in their practice. She quickly identifies and remedies any gaps with targeted training. Staff, in turn, embrace this. They relish accessing new learning and quickly evaluate this learning in respect of the curriculum at the setting. Children truly benefit form this practice. They access a constantly evolving curriculum that supports their ongoing development.
• Parents value the setting. They particularly commend the bonds their children have with staff and the manager. They feel supported. They comment that their children make impressive progress at the setting and credit the staff with having their children 'ready' for the upcoming move on to primary school. Partnerships with parents are strong, for the most part. However, at times, key information is not shared with parents in a timely enough manner.
• Children behave well. They share toys, take turns with activities and invite their friends to join in their play. They listen carefully to instructions and demonstrate impressive levels of concentration, beyond expectations for their ages. Children are beginning to understand their emotions and older children, especially, begin to manage their feelings quite well. However, some staff do not give children consistent messages during times when they are struggling to manage their feelings. This lack of consistency can temporarily cause some additional frustration for children.
• Communication and language is a key focus of the curriculum. The manager and staff incorporate aspects of speaking, listening and understanding into all aspects of the provision. This has impressive impact and any gaps in children's development rapidly begin to diminish.
• The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength of the setting. Targeted support, effective key-worker systems and an inviting curriculum all contribute to the ongoing success and progression for these children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• give clear messages to children about behaviour expectations and support staff to deliver these messages in a consistent manner
• further embed effective partnerships with parents by sharing information in a timely manner.