The Nest Pre-School CIC

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are excited and ready to start their day as they arrive at the pre-school. They are warmly greeted by staff and their peers. Children are familiar with the routines. They confidently hang up their coats, change their shoes and put them carefully away from the busy area of the room. There is a strong sense of family in the pre-school. Parents who are settling their child are welcome to stay until their child is comfortable in their new surroundings. Some children are familiar with the environment and staff because friends or siblings previously attended the pre-school. Children adapt well. They are confident, sociable and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. They have strong bonds with staff, who are encouraging and supportive.

The majority of staff are highly qualified and experienced in their role. They have high ambitions for children's learning. They provide exciting and engaging experiences and opportunities for children, including forest school sessions in the local park and gardening, where they plant and grow fruits and vegetables. Staff support children to join in with drama, dance, cooking and pottery. These experiences broaden children's knowledge and skills, which motivates their curiosity and eagerness to learn.

Children understand behavioural expectations. They know the routine of the pre-school and treat each other and staff with respect. Staff are attentive and supportive to each child. Children are kind to each other; they learn to share and help each other. For example, older children help younger children as they use equipment such as the climbing frame.

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

• Staff work closely with parents to identify what children know, can do, and need to learn when they start. They value the knowledge parents have about their children and establish strong relationships. This helps staff to plan and carefully design a curriculum that best supports the individual child, as well as the group. Parents highly praise staff for their commitment to them and their children.
• Staff welcome the input of parents into their children's learning. They hold regular meetings to ensure that parents are well informed about their children's development. Parents say their children have made good progress since attending the pre-school. Similarly, gaps in learning are beginning to close for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and external agencies. They plan targeted teaching strategies to support children's development.
• Children are confident. They express their views and opinions to their peers and staff, make informed choices and are independent learners. For example, older children competently put on their coats and shoes and attend to their toileting needs. Younger children are given opportunities to 'have a go' at putting on their coat. Staff regularly praise children for their efforts and achievements. This helps to boost children's self-confidence.
• Overall, children's language is developing well. They enjoy singing and have stories read to them. Children enthusiastically join in with the parts of the story they know well. However, staff do not consistently implement effective strategies to encourage children to fully develop their listening skills. For example, at times, although children eagerly respond to staff's questions, they talk over each other and do not listen to others or to what staff say.
• Staff provide children with a range of mark-making tools and opportunities to develop their finger muscles, to support their writing skills. For example, they enjoy drawing, painting and colouring. Children also gain experience in using materials, such as clay, to make ceramics, which strengthens their fine motor skills.
• Children are supported to develop their reading skills. For instance, older children identify their own names, while younger children are supported with the use of their pictures. Older children competently write words such as 'fox' with the guidance of staff. They enjoy looking at books on their own and with friends. Children are engaged and focus well, which supports their learning effectively.
• Mathematics is threaded through the daily activities. For example, staff encourage children to count in games and use pretend money during role-play activities. Staff talk about numbers and use number cards to help children recognise numbers correctly.
• Children have fun playing in the garden with their peers and staff. This helps them to build strong social skills. They learn to wait, take turns and work effectively together. Children develop problem-solving techniques as they find the best ways to walk on planks. They excitedly laugh and giggle as they play.
• The manager ensures that parents understand the importance of children visiting the dentist. Staff monitor children's packed lunches and snacks. They provide guidance for parents to help them understand what makes a healthy packed lunch. Children wash their hands before they eat and are encouraged to develop healthy eating habits, such as having their savoury first at lunchtime. They know that fruit and vegetables are healthy foods, and they grow these in the garden. They have ample opportunities to exercise, both indoors and outdoors, which promotes their good health and well-being.
• The manager values staff's well-being and professional development. She provides opportunities throughout the year for staff team meetings. Staff also have individual supervision sessions and annual appraisals to build a strong, effective team and service. However, the manager is yet to implement effective monitoring of staff practice to identify gaps or weaknesses in the quality of teaching. As such, these are not promptly addressed to strengthen staff's knowledge, to further benefit children's learning and development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to develop strategies to help children listen more effectively to each other during large-group activities, to help enhance their communication and language skills
• provide a stronger oversight of staff practice to further support the quality of teaching to an outstanding level.