The Cherry Tree Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff warmly welcome children into this nurturing setting. They form good relationships with children. Staff get to know children very well, which helps children to settle with ease. They prepare and plan activities that closely follow children's interests and help to engage them in the learning environment from the moment they arrive. Staff work hard to implement a range of strategies and support for all children, including visual prompts, specialist resources and listening and attention games. They personalise children's experiences and learning to help all children to make good progress.

Staff support children's language development by engaging them in conversations and listening to what they have to say. Children share their thoughts and feelings and are confident communicators. Staff make children feel safe and secure. This helps children to express themselves freely and go to their key persons for reassurance and help, when needed. Staff help to promote a love of reading and put this at the heart of the curriculum. Children enjoy learning about families through favourite stories. They use story ideas in their play. For instance, staff support them as they use construction resources to build houses for the three little pigs and set up picnics for the bears. The younger children learn songs and benefit from interactive and engaging song times with staff.

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

• Children demonstrate good attitudes towards their learning, particularly their focus and concentration. They spend long periods of time at mark-making tables using stencils. Children demonstrate good fine motor skills when threading and using small brushes for outdoor painting activities. They have the freedom to explore a wide variety of resources and select from in the inviting and child-centred environment. Children demonstrate good levels of engagement throughout their time at the setting.
• Children benefit from a wonderful outdoor space, where staff plan and consider all areas of learning. Children are very curious as they explore the cosy sensory shed, outdoor kitchen and wide variety of open-ended construction resources. They use their own ideas and enjoy building towers in different ways. Children are motivated to learn, and staff encourage them to keep going.
• Children demonstrate good gross motor skills and are very active. For instance, they practise their skills during obstacle course races. Children ride scooters, throw bean bags and crawl through tunnels with ease. Children enjoy being outside and make the most of this space.
• The relationships children form are a real strength in the setting. Staff are excellent role models for the behaviour they expect. There is a culture of respect, praise and kindness. Children call their friends by their names and welcome them into the setting with hugs. They show pride in each others' achievements, such as they clap when they play a lovely tune and draw a good picture.
• Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress and enjoy their time at the setting. Staff work closely with outside professionals to ensure that children get the extra support they need to develop and be ready for the next stage of learning.
• Children develop their independence and enjoy doing things for themselves. They find their special place mat and serve their own snack and pour drinks with ease. Children know the routine and listen and follow instructions well.
• Parents speak highly of the setting and of the nurturing care and quality of education that staff provide for their children. They have strong relationships with the staff team and are well informed about their children's progress. Children settle quickly and enjoy talking with their parents about what they do at the nursery. Parents are particularly pleased with how well children are prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Leaders and managers are passionate about the vision and ethos of their setting. They ensure that children's well-being and development, and partnerships with parents and their staff team, are a priority. Leaders and managers reflect on their practice and provide staff with professional development opportunities.
• However, leaders and managers do not consistently focus their monitoring on the improvement that training is making. For instance, they do not consistently check that training has an impact on staff's skills and children's progress. For example, some staff are not always clear on the intention for children's learning. They, therefore, do not always extend children's learning fully through their interactions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance staff's practice to help extend children's learning even further, such as by measuring the impact of training and embedding quality interactions.