The Playstation Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children excitedly enter the pre-school. They receive a warm greeting from staff, who know the children well and are on hand to help those that struggle to settle. Children have strong attachments to the staff and regularly go to them for a cuddle. This reassures them as staff genuinely care about their well-being. Resources are inviting and well presented to allow children to select where they want to play.

Children have a passion for books and often ask staff to read them a story. They are animated as they join in with familiar phrases and recount parts of the story, showing their knowledge. Children can choose a book to take home to enjoy with their family, furthering their passion for stories.

Children really enjoy the outdoors, especially the sand and the ride-on toys. Staff have thoughtfully created an area under cover so that children can enjoy being outside in all weathers. Children have their own pegs and book bags, which helps them to develop a strong sense of belonging at pre-school. They know the routines of the day and join in well with all activities. Children have good imaginations and enjoy playing make-believe. They enjoy being creative, for example painting and sticking Christmas decorations. Children are happy, settled and have fun.

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

• Staff plan for children's interests and ensure that there are resources available for each child. They often base activities around a 'book of the week' and seasonal themes. Staff know what children need to develop further and focus on those areas of learning. They know their key children very well, which allows staff to plan for them effectively.
• Staff's key focus is children's language and communication. They are good role models. Staff speak clearly and use keywords and simple sentences so that children understand and follow instructions. Staff support children's growing vocabulary. They help children, especially children who speak English as an additional language, to understand by pointing at objects and saying the words. Staff take the children for walks. They use the wooded area on the school field to extend children's experiences of their local surroundings.
• Lunchtime is a social occasion, and children sit together with staff to eat their lunch. However, staff do not involve children in the making of their snacks and do not use this time for quality interactions.
• Staff plan well for children's physical development. They create opportunities for children to strengthen their hand-to-eye coordination. Children use their hands to push balls down tubes and excitedly wait for them to re-emerge at the other end. They use tools such as rolling pins, scissors and cutters to strengthen their fingers ready for writing when they are older. Staff help children to count and use mathematical words, such as 'bigger' and 'smaller'.
• Staff promote children's independence well. Staff actively encourage children to put on their shoes and coats. Children are developing their social skills. They enjoy each other's company. The youngest children sometimes experience difficulty in sharing resources and regulating their emotions. Staff respond consistently when children squabble over resources. However, they do not focus on developing children's awareness of their emotions so that they begin to understand how others feel.
• The manager and the committee are very reflective and have a good overview of the pre-school's strengths and areas for development. They have effective systems in place to monitor staff performance and well-being. Staff have very good relationships with parents, who speak very highly of the pre-school. Children's learning is shared regularly with parents, and they are kept up to date through newsletters and daily conversations. The staff work well with other professionals, such as health visitors and local schools.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help children to recognise their emotions so they begin to understand the impact their behaviour has on others
• grasp every opportunity to engage children in conversation and teach them to do more for themselves, for example during snack time.