The Shore Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders and staff work together to plan an ambitious and flexible curriculum that incorporates the needs of every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This flows through the setting with seamless fluency. Staff form close, nurturing and supportive relationships with children and their families. They take time to thoroughly understand each child, such as through home visits and exceptional settling in procedures. This helps to ease any anxieties parents might have, and forms a foundation of trust and respect for children and their families right from the outset.

Children thrive in this exceptionally warm, welcoming, and child-focused pre-school, where care and education are of the highest quality. Staff offer an extensive variety of open-ended materials, such as craft resources, and teach children how to use various tools. This inspires children to bring their ideas to life. For example, children show an interest in animals, and design and create a farm yard. Passionate and highly skilled staff enhance these experiences with meaningful interactions tailored to each child's learning journey. They model words and ask open questions, such as, 'How can we build a fence to keep the animals safe?' This enriches children's developing language skills and sparks their curiosity to learn even more.

Staff use differing strategies, such as props and visual aids, to guide children's behavioral understanding. This creates an inclusive environment and helps all children make better choices. All children thrive at this pre-school. They follow the rules of the setting and consistently interact respectfully with staff and their friends.

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

• Communication and language are key focus areas for leaders and staff. They employ highly effective strategies, including visual aids and sign language, to ensure every child can actively express their views and ideas. The setting is vibrant, filled with the joyful sounds of children and staff singing songs together. Inviting book areas provide children with comforting spaces to explore familiar books independently or with friends. Staff consistently seize opportunities to model words and to introduce children to vocabulary in different contexts. This supports a strong foundation for children's future learning.
• Staff exhibit an exceptional commitment to ensuring every child, including those with SEND, achieve their full potential. They work in outstanding partnerships with parents and other professionals. Leaders make timely referrals to ensure children receive the tailored support they need. Furthermore, they use funding exceptionally well to purchase carefully selected resources that benefit children. Children with SEND flourish in this highly inclusive and nurturing environment.
• Staff meticulously plan a wide range of enriching experiences to enhance children's physical development. They provide engaging resources that inspire curiosity and offer challenge. For example, children demonstrate excellent control and coordination skills as they navigate cones while using ride-on toys. Daily access to large play apparatus allow children time to engage in activities that strengthen their climbing and balancing abilities. This also make a significant contribution to their mental health and well-being.
• Staff excel in promoting children's health and well-being. They provide nutritious snacks and use strategies, such as visual aids and discussion, to deepen children's understanding of where food originates from. Staff collaborate exceptionally well with parents to ensure children benefit from well-balanced food at lunch time. Furthermore, they offer them advice on nutrition to guide them in providing healthy meals for their children at home.
• Staff are outstanding role models. They provide children with guidance and exceptional support to help them articulate their thoughts and emotions. For instance, children confidently express themselves and ask their friends to refrain from certain actions and explain why. Children listen to their peers and demonstrate remarkable respect and empathy towards each other.
• Partnerships with parents are exemplary. Staff invest significant time in getting to know families and establish a foundation of respect and collaboration right from the start. They signpost parents to outside agencies for support and share resources and ideas to encourage them to continue their child's learning at home. Parents describe leaders and staff as dedicated, nurturing and exceptional, who make a significant different to the of lives of their children.
• Leaders demonstrate an unwavering passion for delivering exceptional care and education to children. Their commitment to excellence is reflected in the outstanding coaching and supervision they provide to staff. Inspired by this support, staff exhibit a profound enthusiasm for continuous professional development to help benefit children. For example, following research, staff have enriched the outdoor learning environment even further to inspire children to go outside. This has had a positive impact on children's physical skills and lays a foundation for their lifelong health and continuous development.