Sunnydays Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter the pre-school confident, eager and ready to learn. They quickly settle into the familiar routines and show high levels of independence. The curriculum is well planned and sequenced with key skills of focus brought into learning experiences. Interactions between staff and children are supportive and children are encouraged to try routine tasks themselves first before staff provide assistance. For example, staff encourage children to attempt to fasten and zip up their coats. This helps children to become increasingly more independent and resilient, and encourages them to persevere to overcome difficulties. This all helps with transitions to school and supports children in acquiring the required skills.

Weekly planned sessions help children to gain the different skills needed to ride a bike. They start with balance bikes and learn how to stop safely and to skilfully manoeuvre around obstacles. Children listen and follow instructions as they collect different coloured rings and place them at different locations, while having to concentrate on their balance. This sequencing in learning helps them to quickly develop the skills they need to use pedal bikes.

Staff deployment is effective to ensure children are safe and can operate independently within the setting. Staff are calm and caring when managing children's behaviour. They follow any agreed strategies as recommended by professionals in children's individual plans.

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

• Staff provide many opportunities for children to practise and hone their skills, which helps them to deepen their knowledge. Staff engage in lots of dialogue with children and model language well. Children are given time to think and respond to questions, unhurried by staff. A love and appreciation of books is actively encouraged, and children take books home to share with their family.
• Children take part in small-group registration activities and those transitioning to school develop in confidence as they speak up in group situations. They recall what they have learned at pre-school and enjoy sharing their experiences. Children learn to listen and to value what their peers have to say. For younger children, the focus is on listening and attention. However, on occasions, these discussions are not always pitched at the right level for these children, and they become distracted. For example, staff ask children what season it is and do not always fully consider what they want children to gain from these group times.
• Staff ensure that children take part in a range of activities where they develop their hand strength and coordination. Children learn how to use tools for different purposes as they flatten, cut and roll to make pancakes from dough. At snack times, they chop and peel their fruit.
• There are lots of opportunities for children to count, and staff are mindful of keeping the numbers small to ensure children have a secure knowledge before progressing to larger numbers. Children count how many children are at each table and calculate how many cups they need. They understand when another child comes to the table they need to add 'one more'. In the home corner, children observe that the brussels sprouts 'get smaller' as they peel away the layers.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported. Partnerships with parents and professionals are effective and staff have an in-depth understanding of children's individual needs and how best to support them. Funding is used to good effect to purchase specific resources for children to encourage different skills, as identified in their learning plans.
• Staff regularly update parents on their child's progress, identifying any areas where a child may need extra support or encouragement. They share ideas of what parents can do at home to help children with their learning. Staff work hard to ensure that children are well prepared for their transitions to school. They have good partnerships with school and take on board any feedback.
• Managers have a good grasp of what they do well and identify areas of the provision they want to work on to ensure continuous improvement. During supervisions, discussions help staff reflect on their practice and identify any further training to deepen their knowledge. Peer observations encourage staff to reflect on their teaching. However, less time is given to reflect on the quality of learning experiences for all children, in particular the quieter children, to build on the existing good practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor and evaluate the quality of experiences of quieter children within the setting, so that staff consistently encourage their active participation in all of the activities on offer
• review how registration group activities are structured and delivered for younger children, to ensure that staff fully take account of what they want children to learn so that it is pitched at the right level.