Stowupland Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children happily enter this inviting and inclusive pre-school that they thrive in. Children are very well behaved and frequently play cooperatively with their peers. Staff are nurturing and always respond attentively to children's individual needs. This means children build secure and trusting attachments to them. Staff also offer bespoke settling-in processes that promote children's well-being from the start. Children love the freedom to choose whether they play indoors or outdoors. Children benefit from outings in the local community, such as woodland walks or visiting the grocers to buy fruit for their snack. When staff read to children, this enhances their vocabulary and imagination as they predict what may happen next.

The management team and staff implement an ambitious curriculum through inspiring activities and high-quality resources. Children enjoy growing herbs and using them to add a natural scent to their play dough. Natural resources deepen children's curiosity, concentration and enjoyment. Staff gently use hand-over-hand guidance to help younger children safely master their cutting skills with scissors. Children show pride in their achievements and proudly say, 'Look', to show staff they are using scissors correctly. Staff's patience, meaningful interactions and praise mean children are successfully building positive self-esteem and consistently building on what they already know and can do.

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

• Staff consistently demonstrate their in-depth knowledge of how children learn. They consider children's interests in planning activities and encourage them to learn safely through trial and error. Children have opportunities to revisit prior learning experiences, which helps consolidate and secure their knowledge and understanding of subjects being taught.
• The key-person system is effective, and staff know their children well. They regularly assess children's overall development. Any gaps in learning are identified swiftly, and the right support is provided. The management team works closely with local schools to help children progress to school seamlessly.
• The management team and staff are committed to the continual improvement of the pre-school and undertake training to enhance this. A revamp of the garden hugely benefits those children who prefer to learn outdoors. Children merrily make marks with sticks in the sand and mud, which helps build the foundation skills for writing. Children are learning to assess the risk for themselves when staff remind children to go down the slide in turn.
• Children benefit from focus group activities where they play games specifically designed to help them build on their vocabulary and communication skills. Sometimes, during children's play, staff introduce new words but do not fully consider children's understanding of these to enable children to start using these words in meaningful contexts.
• Children show they are learning the importance of healthy eating habits during sociable mealtimes. As children independently unpack their lunch, they choose to eat the highly nutritious foods first, such as fruit, without any prompts from staff.
• Children understand what is expected of them as staff carry through daily routines, such as tidy-up time. Older children are good role models for their younger peers when helping them to put toys away in the correct place. Children are accepting of their younger peers who want to join their play. Children confidently use strategies, such as sand timers, which highlights that staff teach children appropriate ways to begin solving any conflicts for themselves.
• Good modelling from staff enhances children's capabilities to develop the skills required to carry out self-care routines to the end. Staff provide meaningful praise when children hang their coats themselves and wash their hands for snack, which encourages these behaviours to be repeated. Once they have finished eating, children wash their plates and cups in the sink before returning to play. This indicates children's respect for others and shows a sense of belonging and pride in their pre-school.
• Parents appreciate the regular communication and assessments they receive of their children's progress. Staff work collaboratively with parents and outside professionals, such as speech and language therapists. This ensures all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are continually achieving and making good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff build on the already good teaching and support children's speech and language development to an even higher level.