Thatto Heath Playdays

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children feel happy and secure in this exceptionally warm and homely environment. They thrive in the care of loving highly skilled staff who know them very well. The children are calm and contented in their care, welcoming visitors with smiles. Excellent first-hand experiences help children to learn about their local community. For instance, children visit local residents with homemade cookies on special occasions to cheer people up. These activities successfully encourage children to experience the awe and wonder of the wider world. Children demonstrate excellent behaviour. They follow the golden rules confidently as they play cooperatively with each other. Younger children play outside harmoniously together, sharing musical instruments and joining in each other's songs.

Children show consistently high levels of engagement and interest, sustaining their concentration as they explore paint colours and texture printing with dinosaurs. Children take part in activities that are highly stimulating and exciting. They carefully spoon porridge oats into bowls retelling the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Children are absorbed in mark making outside with water and brushes, developing their writing skills in preparation for the next stage in their learning. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff offer additional support for children's personal and social development. Staff skilfully role model sharing and turn-taking to younger children. The inspiring curriculum enhances the experiences and meets the needs of all children individually.

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

• The quality of the education is exceptional because staff know the children and their families so very well. The curriculum is superbly well planned and sequenced for all children. Older children are delighted as they tap out a rhythm to a song using chopsticks. This supports children to develop their early reading skills.
• Staff are dedicated, nurturing and highly skilled at planning activities and next steps which support individual children. For instance, some children receive very close support during times of transition within the pre-school. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are incredibly well prepared for the next stage in their learning.
• Communication and language development is promoted to a consistently high standard. This is improving the outcomes for the children's spoken language and increasing their vocabulary. Children share a love of reading with the staff. They read stories in a way that excites and engages children and highly motivates them to learn. Staff enthusiastically encourage younger children to join in with the 'hello song', developing their ability to speak, listen and understand.
• Children's individual needs are at the heart of decision-making in this pre-school.
• Termly pre-school council meetings enable children to offer important suggestions about their setting. They discuss the environment organisation, trips and resource purchases. These are life skills preparing children for their future success.
• Staff skilfully support children and their families to develop healthy lifestyles. Children enjoy a range of fruits for snack. Staff cook healthy meals in the nursery and share meal ideas with parents. The manager registers families with dentists to improve dental care for the children.
• Leaders go above and beyond in their commitment to provide first-class enrichment activities. Children visit places of interest in the local community, such as the library and local park. Children are quickly learning about the world around them.
• Leaders and staff develop fantastic parent partnerships. Staff share information via an online communication system. Parents are offered home visits and workshops about transitions to school. Children take books and recipes home from the pre-school to share with their families. Parents fondly describe the happy, kind and dedicated staff team. Parents' comments regarding the care and education their children receive are overwhelmingly positive.
• Leadership and management is exceptional. The manager shares her vision and passion with staff and families of providing a high-quality education to all. This helps them to work together and consistently improve outcomes for children. Staff training refreshes ways to support and educate children. This ensures all children achieve their maximum potential.