The Park preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

All children thrive within this inspirational pre-school. They are welcomed by an exceptionally motivated and nurturing staff team. Children form close and trusting bonds with staff. Staff know the children extremely well and have a detailed knowledge of what children are interested in and what they need to achieve next. Children self-register, identifying their names under a picture to pick their own pegs. Staff then further challenge the children to begin to read their names on the lunch box trolley, in preparation for their next stage of learning. Children show sustained concentration in the outdoor kitchen as they use a wealth of natural materials to make dinner and act out real-life scenarios. They learn how to solve problems when things do not go according to their plan. For example, children attempt to place baking trays with their creations in an oven and realise they do not fit in. They find the right-sized dish and transfer their mud cakes to a perfectly fitting bowl.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. Children understand the pre-school rules and follow them superbly. For instance, they stand still quietly and listen to the staff when they ring a bell to explain what is happening next. As a result, children understand transitions in the daily routine of the pre-school. Children show high levels of respect for each other and for staff. For example, they negotiate sharing a balance bicycle and wait for their friends to finish riding, and they thank each other while swapping over.

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

• Parents speak highly of the staff and managers. They comment that their children thoroughly enjoy attending the pre-school and make extremely good progress. Parents say that staff and managers are always available for regular consultations and endeavour to make any necessary changes to meet their children's individual needs.
• Staff speak with parents and carers and carefully observe children's abilities and interests from their first day. This enables them to precisely identify and build on what each child knows and can do. The setting provides online journals for parents to look at their children's achievements and to share the learning that takes place at home.
• Managers support staff superbly to create a well-skilled and confident team, who clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. In addition, they give high priority to supporting staff's professional development continuously, and this contributes to excellent outcomes for children. Staff say they enjoy working at the pre-school and that their well-being is a high priority.
• Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, thrive in all aspects of their development. Staff liaise very closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that each child receives the support they need. Managers use additional funding to target specific areas of development for children and reduce any gaps in their learning.
• The quality of teaching and learning is excellent. There is a very strong emphasis by managers and staff on providing a broad and balanced curriculum. The impact of this on what children know, understand, remember and can do is highly effective. Children demonstrate high levels of enjoyment and engagement in the interesting opportunities created for them.
• Staff skilfully support children in child-initiated play and learning. For example, children decide to set up a picnic in the room. Staff lay out a blanket on the floor and children begin to set it up with fresh fruit and vegetables. Children talk about juice being made of oranges and lemons, and staff skilfully extends this to encourage children to cut and squeeze fruit, to add to their water bottles. Children understand the expectations and boundaries when working with tools to help keep them safe.
• Staff consistently engage in highly effective interactions that build on children's speech and language skills. Children hear and use new vocabulary. Staff skilfully and sensitively correct misunderstandings, for example, when children think a parsnip is a carrot. Staff add this new word to the discussion, and children test it out by repeating and demonstrating it to the rest of the group.
• Staff place great emphasis on early reading and promote the enjoyment of books, indoors and outdoors. They provide high-quality reading materials for children to explore, and they constantly read with children, using the right tone of voice, pace, and animation.
• Children learn about the local community as staff take them regularly to visit residents in the nearby care home. Together, they sing songs and do various fun activities, such as art and craft. The residents have built positive relationships with the pre-school and visit children in return.
• Children thoroughly enjoy learning in the stimulating and adventurous pre-school garden. Staff support them to develop excellent physical skills. Children use their large muscles to pedal, as they manoeuvre over different surfaces on balance bicycles, and use their small-muscle skills for pegging washing onto the line.