The Old Station Nursery Preschool St Neots

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are welcomed into the pre-school by staff who truly value and care for them. From the start of the day, well-planned learning opportunities are available for the children to access. The manager and staff team are highly effective at prioritising and meeting all children's individual needs. Children gain a wealth of skills from daily routines. For example, younger children are taught by staff how to use knives to cut apples. Older children independently demonstrate this skill safely when preparing their own snack.

Children have extensive opportunities to be active learners, both indoors and outdoors. Managers and staff have developed an outdoor environment that engages and excites children. Children learn about the natural world and are able to develop their physical skills by being able to run, climb and balance. They are confident to take risks and can independently manage their safety. For example, children remind their friends to sit down to go down the slide so they do not hurt themselves.

Children's behaviour is exceptional. Managers and staff consider children's well-being to be essential to progress. Children play together purposefully and show great consideration to their friends. They share and use manners effortlessly. For example, children offer to share their play dough with those that do not have any. They then respond with 'thank you'.

Stories are read to the children throughout the day. Older children sit attentively in group time. Staff engage younger children by bringing stories to life by making treasure maps and escaping the sharks when retelling a story about pirates.

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

• The manager implements an ambitious curriculum. This focuses on children's interests and what children already know to promote further learning. The manager and staff set high expectations for all children to learn and achieve. Staff know the children exceptionally well. This allows them to move children's learning on from the moment they start pre-school.
• The staff have a good understanding of how children learn. Activities are well planned and include learning opportunities across the areas of learning. In most of these activities, children engage well. Staff share rich vocabulary and use questions to extend children's learning. For example, when learning about the giant African snail, staff explain that it is nocturnal. Children are then asked what they think this might mean. However, this level of interaction is not consistent across the pre-school.
• The manager ensures that all staff are highly valued and respected. She recognises the importance of staff well-being and ensures that everyone is offered support. The manager places a high priority on ensuring staff are listened to and their input valued. She ensures there is time built in for all staff to be able to reflect on their practice, in particular for those who are in childcare training.
• The support that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive is exceptional. Partnerships with professionals and local schools are excellent. They contribute to effective support for children's learning. Funding accessed for children is carefully used to implement specific and personalised support. This ensures that children make excellent progress. Staff have recently learned some sign language to support children with speech and language delays. This is having a positive impact on children's communication.
• Transitions for new children are well thought through. Staff who previously worked with the children at the feeder nursery are able to come and visit to support them. This has a positive impact on children settling quickly. Staff are given time to interact with the children before they are allocated their key person. This allows children, staff and parents to build positive relationships.
• Partnerships with parents are a strength. They share experiences and significant moments daily online. Parents report how well informed they are about their children's learning, skills and next steps. Detailed information is regularly shared with parents in monthly newsletters, verbally and online. Parents talk about how staff support them by giving advice when needed. Parents comment that the pre-school is like a home from home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure high-quality interactions are securely embedded across the pre-school.