Sticky Fish Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are caring and provide a nurturing and welcoming environment at the pre-school. Children receive lots of sensitive and thoughtful support to help them settle. They form strong and beneficial relationships with their key persons, and this helps to foster their confidence and well-being effectively. Staff are kind and patient. They provide consistent explanations when children struggle to understand expectations. Children learn to take turns, play cooperatively, and begin to manage their emotions.

The thoughtfully set up environment motivates children to explore and develop their skills. Children are busy and active in their exploration. They develop their physical skills well. Their confidence grows with reassurance from staff as they test out their skills. They traverse obstacle courses outside and learn to use equipment such as wheelbarrows, navigating the spaces well. They relish the many sensory opportunities available, painting, exploring sand and creating mixes in the outdoor play kitchen. Children learn about nature during sessions in the pre-school's wild garden. They develop positive attitudes to learning and make good progress, including children in receipt of additional funding.

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

• The manager works with staff and trustees to identify ways to develop the provision. She follows safe recruitment practices and undertakes regular supervision meetings with staff. Morale is high within the long-standing team. They are dedicated to the children and families that they support.
• Staff get down to the children's level, using clear speech and modelling words to ensure that children understand and develop their skills. They listen to children and value what they have to say, and ask questions to encourage thinking and conversation. They give children time to respond. Children's understanding and speech progress well, including children who speak English as an additional language.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff support an ongoing two-way flow of information. Their daily chats and regular newsletters, as well as entries in their online application, keep parents well informed. Parents appreciate the regular sharing of photos and information about their child's development. This helps them continue to support their child's learning at home.
• Staff observe children's play. Each child's key person tracks their achievements and focuses carefully on any gaps in their development. They follow children's interests and outline suitable next steps in their learning. However, occasionally, staff do not flexibly adapt planned activities and children's involvement and learning at such times does not advance as much as possible.
• Staff provide lots of opportunities for children to explore books and mark- making. Older children form the initial letters of their names. Younger children use larger movements and develop their coordination well. Children enjoy stories. Staff recently introduced new storytelling sessions. Children's confidence and imagination flourish as they tell a story and later act it out with their friends.
• Children develop their independence skills and sense of responsibility very well. They help tidy away toys. They change out of their boots and work hard to get their shoes on, listening carefully to the staff's well-placed tips. They take an active part in mealtimes, conscientiously washing their snack bowl and cup and putting their lunch bags back on the trolley. They are keen to do things for themselves and are proud of their achievements.
• Each child's key person has discussions with parents when children start, to gain knowledge of the children's needs and interests. However, they do not obtain information from the other settings children move from, to gain a full picture of children's needs across all aspects of their lives. Additionally, they do not share information with other providers when children move on to other settings, to help provide a consistent approach and seamless transition for children.
• The manager and special educational needs co-ordinator work closely with staff to outline and implement targeted programmes of support. They ensure that all children can reach their potential, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Group times inspire children's engagement with music and songs. Staff enhance this with signing to extend children's concentration.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• flexibly adapt planned activities to support children's involvement and learning as much as possible
• strengthen the sharing of information with other settings that children attend to support a consistent approach across all aspects of children's lives.