The Preschool Group

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at the setting and show excitement as they enter the hall and engage with the range of activities on offer. Children new to the setting quickly settle as they are warmly greeted by staff and their friends. Staff know children and families well and understand children's individual needs. Staff encourage children to use their home languages as they play and give them regular praise and encouragement. This helps children to feel secure and valued. Children learn to behave well as staff give clear messages to help children understand how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, staff consistently remind children not to run around the tables in case they fall and hurt themselves.

Staff provide a calm and organised environment, where children confidently explore and make their own choices about learning and play. A broad range of activities help children to build on their skills and make progress in all areas of learning. Staff engage children well by getting down at their level and joining in their play. When looking at books, staff ask questions to support children's interaction with the story. They carefully model language so children can hear and repeat new words. This helps to extend children's interest and encourages them to extend their communication skills and vocabulary.

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

• The manager and staff have worked hard since the last inspection to address the actions raised. Staff training and development has been targeted effectively to help staff further develop their approach to behaviour management. In addition, staff have given particular focus to improving the curriculum and strengthening their interactions with children. This ensures children are engaged in their activities and gain the most from the learning on offer.
• Effective communication with parents contributes to children receiving a consistent approach to their care and learning. Staff share daily feedback with parents, so they know how their child has been and what they have been doing. Key persons ensure parents receive regular updates on children's progress. They help parents to continue children's learning at home by suggesting activities and sharing ideas. Parents value the way staff work closely with families to help children settle quickly.
• Staff promote children's exploration and creative skills. Children have immense fun as they use their hands and tools to kneed and shape play dough. They show fascination as they study the patterns they have created in the dough. They develop their imaginative play as they create food to share with their friends and use descriptive language when talking about different tastes and smells.
• Staff are positive role models and encourage children to develop their independence skills. Children learn how to take care of their own needs by washing their hands, wiping their noses and opening packets and boxes at lunchtime. Children learn to share and take turns when playing with others. This helps to prepare children well for the next stage in their learning at school.
• Staff have implemented effective strategies to support children's language skills. They regularly read stories and sing songs and engage children in conversation. For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are in the early stages of learning English, staff use visual resources, signs and gestures to help children to make sense of the environment and the routines. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure all children make progress.
• Overall, staff provide good support for children's physical development. Children have ample opportunities to practise their fine motor skills. They use chalks outside and delight in drawing pictures and shapes. Staff extend children's learning by modelling mathematical language as they compare sizes and name shapes. However, staff do not always ensure there is a suitable range of activities during sessions to promote children's large motor skills.
• Staff give high regard to ensuring children's safety. Robust risk assessments are in place and staff are extremely vigilant when monitoring the front door at arrival and collection times to ensure children are safe and protected. Staff sit with and support children effectively at mealtimes. They check to make sure food is cut up appropriately to minimise the risk of choking.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the planning of activities for physical development to further support the development of children's large motor skills.