The Beagle Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children at this setting receive a positive start to their education. They are excited to arrive in the morning and feel confident separating from parents at the door. Children form good attachments with staff, which helps them to feel settled and safe. Children of all ages develop their physical skills in the enclosed outdoor space. Here they can see pupils from the school that the setting shares a site with. They have friendly interactions with the school pupils, including children's older siblings.

Children learn new things every day. They take part in activities that have been planned specifically for their needs. For example, children develop their mathematical skills as they count fish before the cardboard crocodile 'gobbles' them up. Staff have high expectations for all children and challenge children in their learning. For instance, as children build with plastic bricks, staff encourage them to use their imaginations to build a variety of different things. This helps children to make good progress in their learning.

Children behave well. They follow instructions and understand the daily routines. For example, when the timer is set, children know it is nearly time for snack. When they hear the tambourine, children immediately tidy up and come inside.

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

• Staff continually observe children and know them well. They teach children through carefully planned activities that focus on what children need to learn next. Staff nurture children's interests and teach them using things that they enjoy. This helps to make learning meaningful for children.
• Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is excellent. Additional support staff form strong bonds with children who have complex needs. The setting works in partnership with other agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to support children's development. The curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of children with SEND. For example, photo cards are used to help children to communicate. Children with SEND make good progress.
• Children have opportunities to learn about the world around them. For example, children observe tadpoles and discuss the life cycle of frogs. They learn about road safety when they are visited by a lollipop lady. These experiences help to provide a broad curriculum for children.
• Children develop their independence skills, such as putting on their coats and shoes. Older children select their own snack and pour their own drinks. This helps to prepare children for school.
• The well-resourced environment supports children's development. Children eagerly explore and make choices about what they want to do. Children flow freely from inside to outside, which allows them to develop preferences over how they learn. This helps children to become confident learners.
• Children have positive attitudes towards one another. They collaborate and work well in a team as they build towers together with large bricks. They challenge each other to build them taller. Children show resilience when the towers fall, and encourage each other to rebuild.
• Children learn about celebrations from other cultures. However, the diverse backgrounds and cultures of children within the setting are not always celebrated and shared. This means that children do not fully explore what makes them unique.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents praise the welcoming staff and setting. Good communication means that parents know what their children are learning and how they can support this at home. For example, when children learn a song about brushing their teeth, they sing it at home. This helps to promote continuity in learning between the setting and home.
• Additional funding is used to support children's needs. For example, a wooden teepee provides a quiet and secure space for children to read. Children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, achieve good outcomes.
• Staff undertake appropriate training to deepen their knowledge and skills. They take part in regular supervisions with the manager, which helps the manager to identify any training needs. Staff well-being and mental health are always considered and staff feel supported to fulfil their roles.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen how children's diverse backgrounds are shared within the setting to deepen children's understanding of their own and each other's cultures.