Sunflowers Pre-school at Amy Johnson Children's Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff welcome children from many different cultures and backgrounds. They set high expectations for children's learning and behaviour. Staff use basic sign language to support children with communication difficulties. They invite children's parents to borrow books from the pre-school to further develop their children's vocabulary. During group time, staff use props effectively to sustain children's attention. Children join in and squeak with delight as they listen to the noise of the 'rain' and 'thunder'. Staff build strong relationships with the children. They praise children and give them spontaneous cuddles. This helps children to feel safe and emotionally secure.

Staff make good use of the outdoor space to promote children's physical development. This benefits children very well, particularly those who do not have access to outdoor space. For instance, staff encourage children to run up and down the hill to strengthen their muscles, joints and bones. Children respond happily to these learning experiences. Staff place importance on providing children with first-hand experiences to learn new things. This includes organising outings, such as to the local fields. For some children, for instance, it is their first time to see real animals roaming around in nature.

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

• Leaders manage the pre-school well. They have a clear vision and sense of purpose. Their commitment to supporting local children and families is particularly strong. This has a positive impact on the whole community.
• Staff report that they receive good levels of supervision from their leaders. This includes support for their mental health and well-being. There are opportunities for staff to develop their knowledge and skills. For instance, they have completed training to deepen their understanding of how to implement the curriculum for mathematics. Following this, staff have given children the confidence to use numbers and mathematical language during play.
• Staff work quickly to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need. This helps children to catch up with their peers and make good progress from their starting points. For instance, staff collaborate with speech and language therapists to improve children's ability to talk and use other language skills. As a result, children who had limited speech are now able to express themselves using words.
• Staff talk about children and their individual progress with genuine fondness. They plan a wide range of activities for children. However, at times, staff do not make effective use of observations and assessments when planning what to teach children next. Consequently, during some adult-led activities, children lose their motivation and focus to complete the tasks.
• Staff teach children about right and wrong to help manage their behaviour. However, they do not always ensure that children understand the impact of their actions on themselves and others. This makes it difficult for children to self-regulate their feelings and emotions.
• Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staff spend time teaching children practical skills, such as self-care and independence skills. They also use snack time to teach children good table manners. Children are learning to sit and eat at the table, which also promotes their social skills.
• Staff are particularly good at engaging parents in their children's learning. They build strong relationships with parents, which helps parents to feel secure in asking for help when needed. Some examples include staff helping parents to complete referral forms or providing interpreters to secure clear communication with them. Parents agree that staff are 'very helpful' and 'extremely sensitive' in their interactions with them. They are delighted with the work of the pre-school staff, which has a positive impact on children's progress.
• Leaders continue to evaluate the quality of the provision to make positive improvements. Since the last inspection, for example, they have supported staff to introduce planting and growing activities with the children. This gives children the confidence to explore nature and care for fresh produce in the garden.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review curriculum planning so that all adult-led activities focus specifically on developing children's individual next steps in learning
• explain to children more clearly about their actions and the impact these have on themselves and others.