Sydenham Road Under Fives

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

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. The frequent outings mean children learn to stay safe when they are out and about in the local area. Children know to hold onto the blue rope when walking along the footpath. They stop look and listen before crossing the road.

Children play well together and invite others to join in imaginary games. They pretend they are exploring a 'volcano' when they come across a shallow pit with stones in. They help each other to climb in and out, showing care for others. They recall past learning, describing the 'lava' and 'eruptions'. They tell staff they have 'lava' boots on so their feet will not get burnt.

Children bring 'food balls' for the robin that visits the 'base' camp in the wooded area. They sit quietly to watch as it eats, so they do not frighten it away. They laugh and play well together. They try out how they can move the water from one container to another using tubes. Staff encourage them to keep trying when the children come up against a difficulty. Staff suggest blowing through the tube. This makes a loud noise, and the children laugh.

Indoors, children enjoy joining in with familiar rhymes and stories. They recall characters and phrases, taking turns to speak and tell staff what they remember. Other activities include children digging out toy dinosaurs from ice blocks. They comment how cold the ice is. They say they need strong muscles to break the ice to get the dinosaurs out.

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

• Children show consistent engagement in activities throughout the day. They concentrate well and are motivated to learn. Children choose where and what they want to play with. For example, some children choose to make hedgehogs out of dough and sticks. They talk animatedly about what they are doing. They respect each other's models, taking turns as they show them to staff. Children show an understanding of emotions and concern for others. They explain that the hedgehog is friendly, and it is okay to hold them.
• Key persons know children well. They make visits to children's homes before children start at the pre-school. This helps build good relationships with parents and children from the outset. Key persons quickly identify when children may need extra support. They talk with parents about languages used at home. Staff make sure they have common words in home languages that they can use with children in the setting. Staff discuss children's needs and seek interventions to help children's communication. Parents comment that staff keep them well informed about what their children are learning. Children receive consistent support in the pre-school and at home. Children make good progress in their communication and language.
• Children's behaviour is exemplary. Children know the rules for behaviour and boundaries and follow them brilliantly. For example, in the woods, a group of children use teamworking skills to climb up the hill. They hold each other's hands and follow simple instructions from staff to help them. The children repeat this several times showing their understanding of the instructions. Another group are collecting worms. They are using tools to dig them out of the ground being careful not to hurt the worms. Two of the children want the same tool. They know they need to take turns and use a counting rhyme to help them select who will get the tool first. Staff praise children for good sharing, to reward them for showing kindness to each other.
• Staff plan for children's ongoing learning and development. They provide a wide range of activities to cover different areas. For example, children can choose to make models with dough. They have shape cutters, scissors and rolling pins to help them mould and create. Other children choose to make patterns and letters in trays with salt or sand in them. Staff model how they can manipulate the different materials to create the shapes. Other children choose to dress-up as superheroes. They see how fast they can run around the obstacle course they have built. Staff offer children support, asking questions and commenting on what children are doing. Staff miss some opportunities to extend children's learning. For example, staff sometimes tell children answers or fetch resources for them.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff make the most of opportunities to extend children's learning and development.