The Childcare Village Preschool

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders are sensitive to the challenges faced by families who access their service. They show relentless dedication to reduce barriers to children's learning. For instance, leaders provide food hampers and gifts during festive periods to enable every child to have equal opportunities. They use additional funding wisely, such as covering attendance costs to alleviate financial pressures and promote equity for all. This is an inclusive setting where everyone is welcomed, valued and supported to thrive.

Staff work well with a range of wider professionals, including family support workers and local authority advisers. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from effective multi-agency collaboration. For instance, staff attend and contribute to cross-agency meetings and professionally advocate for children in their care at every opportunity. Staff benefit from the guidance and advice from professional experts to enhance their practice and benefit children.

Staff provide personalised support to children, taking into account their needs and abilities. For instance, some children benefit from one-to-one key worker support to enable them to fully access the provision and learning opportunities available. This tailored approach to teaching meets children's different needs and abilities.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff work together to design and deliver an ambitious curriculum. There is a deliberate and intentional focus on extending children's language skills. They understand that a secure skill-set in communication enables children to access and excel in other areas of their development. This is a language-rich environment, and children become confident communicators.

Adaptations are made to activities and teaching to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The means that the curriculum is accessible for all. For instance, staff hold children's hands and use eye-contact to reassure those who are emotionally unsettled. This considerate teaching shows that staff use their knowledge of children to support their progress.

The quality of teaching is typically effective, and staff extend children's knowledge and skills through their interactions. However, sometimes during group activities, staff focus all their attention on more confident and louder children, meaning those who are less assertive are sometimes overlooked. This means that not all children benefit from high-quality teaching during these times.

When children first start attending, staff complete an initial assessment of their abilities. Over time, they continue these regular and detailed observations to establish an accurate summary of children's progress. They use this information to target their teaching where children need the most support. However, staff do not include parental input about children's needs and abilities into their assessments. Although leaders and staff understand the value of parental involvement in assessment, current procedures to achieve this are not effective.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children develop a range of core skills and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and eventually school. Importantly, children enjoy their learning. They benefit from a broad range of activities and remain continually occupied, stimulated and busy during their time spent in this popular and fun setting.

Children look at their reflections in hand-held mirrors. They draw self-portraits, enabling them to practise and master their pencil control in readiness for early writing. They experience different expressive art and craft activities, extending their creative flair. Children of all ages and abilities enjoy role play, and this provides scope for children to play together and develop friendships. They play cooperatively as they make-believe with dolls and toy food. Children are socially confident. They enjoy choosing where they would like to play, extending their ideas and following their interests. This fosters children's independence and sense of self-confidence. Some children, particularly those who are shy, do not always benefit from high-quality teaching during group activities. This impacts on their overall achievement.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders place high priority on attendance. They work closely with parents to ensure that any barriers to punctuality are addressed. Everyone understands the importance of attending and arriving on time. Typically, attendance is high, and as such children benefit from uninterrupted learning.

Children play well together, and they are mature in their social skills. This is the start of the academic term and so new friendships are beginning to blossom. Children understand that everyone is different and they are tolerant of others different opinions, choices and views. Alongside flourishing friendships, children are reassured by familiar staff and are developing increasingly positive relationships with the adults who care for them. These warm and reciprocated positive relationships contribute to children's positive attitudes and experiences.

Staff help children to understand boundaries and expectations. They deliver instructions in short and easy to understand sentences. Children, consequently, know what is expected of them and behave well. They help to tidy away their table after lunchtime and put litter in the bins. They assist and help adults to tidy toys before playing outside. Children's behaviour is notably polite, cooperative and helpful.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff are nurturing and caring in their approach and interactions with children. They create a welcoming environment, and children are happy and settled. There is a sharp focus on ensuring that children are emotionally supported, and, consequently, children's personal, social and emotional development is a key strength.

Staff implement clear routines during mealtimes to ensure that everyone remains safe. Children skip to wash their hands prior to eating. Staff recognise that this is not just a routine task but an opportunity to extend children's self-care skills. They remind children to wash thoroughly and explain the importance of this hygiene procedure to maintain health. Children are thrilled to play outdoors. They scoot on tricycles, developing their gross physical skills as they navigate the space at speed. Children are frequently heard laughing as they run and chase each other, extending their coordination. Outdoor play is evidently enjoyable and equally contributes to children's physical health, and they experience fresh air and rigorous exercise daily.

When needed, opportunities for children to sleep in a safe and calm space are provided. Staff understand how to ensure children's welfare when resting, such as maintaining regular checks and an ambient temperature. This, in turn, meets children's needs and promotes their wellbeing and welfare.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Staff are proud to work at this setting and show a clear commitment to the success of the pre-school. Leaders value staff's views and incorporate their ideas into development plans. Children's interests and comments also inform leaders' decisions about next steps. This collaborative approach to reflection, evaluation and improvements ensures that the service meets everyone's needs.

Leaders invest in relevant staff training. This motivates staff because they feel well supported and professionally fulfilled. Training courses are carefully selected to narrow gaps in staff's skills. Every staff member has a personalised professional development plan to ensure that they have the knowledge to carry out their roles effectively.

Teamwork is a key strength. Many of the staff have worked in the setting for decades and are extremely invested in success of the pre-school. Everyone brings a unique perspective and different expertise and skills to the team. They work very well together to support children and families in their care.

Parents are extremely complementary about their experiences. They describe how leaders and staff go above and beyond to support them and offer glowing accolades, such as, 'This is not just a nursery, they are family.' Partnerships with parents are positive. Leaders understand that achieving greater parental input into assessment procedures will strengthen this partnership working even more.