The Lighthouse Preschool & After School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff demonstrate genuine enthusiasm and passion for their work with children. Staff warmly greet each child as they happily arrive, keen to start their day at pre-school. Children develop warm and trusting relationships with staff and clearly enjoy their time at the setting. They grow in confidence and follow the kind and collaborative examples staff set. For instance, staff model turn-taking, sharing resources and praise children for good efforts made. Children subsequently mimic these actions with their peers. This promotes a real sense of consideration and care.

Leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum, which is implemented well. Children develop a real love for books. The pre-school places a strong emphasis on traditional tales and embeds these across the curriculum. Children's physical development is encouraged through cutting and craft activities linked to traditional stories, such as 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'. They use their creativity and problem-solving skills to fix the little bear's bed using bricks and blocks. Children use the vocabulary from the story and the language linked to the story modelled by staff when they play and work alongside children. Children's communication and language development is supported well. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress in this area.

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

• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well. The knowledgeable staff work closely with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to establish effective targeted interventions that support the individual needs of children. The dedicated staff work hard to provide an inclusive environment where all children feel valued and successful. For instance, children are supported with walkers to help develop their physical skills, and children work in small groups to enhance their speech and language development.
• Children behave well. The staff are clear about their expectations of behaviour, and children adhere to these well. They treat each other, adults and the resources with care and respect. Gentle reminders to be kind and share are all that is needed to ensure that children recall what is expected of them.
• Children are self-assured. They freely access resources and activities that interest them. They ask adults for help when required, and staff respond accordingly. When children ask for help pouring potions into bowls, they are told to use both hands and to do it slowly. They are given lots of praise for trying things for themselves before staff step in and assist children. Independence skills and resilience are supported well.
• Staff skilfully play alongside children and use these opportunities to extend learning further. For example, when children practise fine motor skills using pegs to transport small items, staff ask which colour they are moving and how many they have moved. Frequently, staff take these opportunities to develop children's language development. For example, staff model language, such as 'once upon a time' and 'happily ever after', and support children to use these phrases during activities.
• Physical development is supported well. The impressive newly added outdoor area is loved by all the children who use it. Gross motor skills are focused on when children use the rope ladders and digging equipment. Fine motor skills are promoted when children excitedly record treasure maps with pencils and clipboards.
• Partnerships with parents are rooted in trust and respect. Leaders and staff support families with a lending library, regular events within the pre-school that families attend and a weekly food bank that is delivered to the setting to help parents that need this. Staff keep parents informed about their children's busy days as well as their recent achievements. However, parents are not always clear about the next steps planned for individual children's learning and how they can best support their child's development at home.
• Leaders invest heavily in staff's well-being. Staff feel appreciated and supported and are very happy in their work. Regular training opportunities are provided, and the appraisal system is effective. Leaders ensure that additional funding is used with clear objectives in mind. Many children attending do not have an outdoor space at home, and so a heavy emphasis has been placed on acquiring additional outdoor resources and specific programmes to support children's physical development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance communication with parents so that they understand how to support their children's progress and learning at home.