Stanton Drew and Pensford Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are well motivated and eager to explore the activities on offer as soon as they arrive at this welcoming pre-school. They have wonderful relationships with staff and feel safe and secure in their environment. Staff are good role models for children. They show passion and care and are attentive to children's needs. All children respond positively to staff and each other and show a good understanding of the boundaries set. For example, children follow instruction well and work together to tidy away when they hear the bell for tidy-up time. They are thoughtful and caring towards their friends and wait patiently and safely when sharing scissors to cut pieces of paper to make bees.

Children have access to a broad and varied curriculum that is based around their learning needs and interests. They show confidence when communicating with staff and each other. Staff support children's communication through skilled interactions. For example, children learn new vocabulary such as 'tadpoles' and 'life cycles' when observing the tadpoles in their tank. Staff make sure that children have exciting outings daily. Children visit different places in the local community where they can explore and develop their physical skills. For example, children enjoy 'forest club' once a week. They investigate the woodland, enhancing their learning of the natural world.

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

• The new management team has created an ambitious curriculum intent. The staff have an excellent awareness of how children learn and provide opportunities for children that support their well-being and emotional development. For example, children discuss how they feel with staff during self-registration when they arrive in the mornings, showing that they are beginning to understand and express their feelings to a trusted adult.
• Staff work closely with parents to pinpoint children's starting points and the manager offers to visit children in their own home. This helps staff to get to know children and families better. This ensures that staff can support children in their next stage of learning and development, and children make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff know what children can do and what they need to learn next. For example, children are challenged in their literacy development when using their imaginations to create their own stories. However, planned activities do not always support individual children's next steps to help them make the best possible progress.
• Staff show children high levels of respect and kindness and value their opinions and choices. They have high expectations for all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak
• English as an additional language. Staff work closely with outside agencies, families and other settings that children attend to support their individual needs. This ensures that all children make good, consistent progress.
• Staff who speak Spanish share this with children daily. For example, children enjoy learning songs in Spanish and can recall them. Parents comment on how children sing these songs at home, supporting their awareness of the world around them and introducing children to new and wonderful languages.
• Children develop safe and healthy practices. For example, children negotiate space and use their balance well when climbing into the hammock independently and swinging from side to side. This enables children to manage age-appropriate risks. Children independently brush their teeth and learn about oral hygiene.
• Parents are very positive about the pre-school and their children's experiences. One parent describes how the pre-school has 'strong foundations to support learning'. They are kept informed of their children's development through regular updates and have secure and trusting relationships with staff. Parents are aware of their children's next steps to support their child's learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• refine how staff plan for children's next steps during adult-led activities to enable children to achieve their full potential.