The Step Up Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are excited to attend this pre-school. From the moment they arrive they are busy exploring and playing with their friends. Children demonstrate much happiness as they play together. They cooperate and show great consideration for others. For example, they willingly share modelling materials and tools, so everyone has enough. Children spontaneously hold hands with each other as they walk over to school for lunch.

Staff are really fantastic role models. They are calm and nurturing as they interact with children. They show a genuine interest when children talk to them about their thoughts and ideas. Staff respond positively so children know what they say is valued. This strongly supports children's self-esteem and confidence to express their views.

Leaders have constructed a broad and exciting curriculum. They are ambitious for every child to develop the key skills and knowledge that support them now and in the future. Children are highly motivated to learn and make good progress over time.

Staff place a high priority on children's safety and welfare. For example, they sensitively remind children to be aware of others when playing energetic games. Children are always very well supervised by staff and follow their instructions well.

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

• Children become increasingly independent over time. They confidently locate and use the resources they want and become very involved in their self-chosen activities. Children show much perseverance when trying to master new skills, such as learning to jump over obstacles. Staff offer just the right level of support to help children succeed. Children show much satisfaction as they manage to clear the obstacles and land safely.
• Staff provide different media for children to explore in their chosen ways. Children experiment with paint, using their hands and tools to create pictures. They create models with both natural and man-made resources, using and adapting their own ideas. Children learn to use their imaginations and express their ideas in creative ways.
• Staff are extremely skilled at supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with parents and professionals to ensure children have high-quality, bespoke learning plans. Staff fully involve children in the curriculum. Consequently, children continue to be excited to learn and make progress.
• Parents highly value the role of the pre-school as part of their local community.
• They say that staff 'go the extra mile' to support children and their families. They describe how the staff successfully enhance children's learning, especially in their language and social skills. Parents know their children really enjoy their time at pre-school and say they are eager to attend.
• Children begin to understand how nature survives and flourishes. They learn that plants need regular watering to grow and thrive. Children carefully observe eggs hatching into ducklings. They know that the eggs need to be kept warm to hatch successfully. Children are very proud of their ducklings. They name them 'Flash' and 'Shelly' and tell visitors, 'You must not put your fingers in their cage'.
• Staff use stories and props very effectively to support children's emotional development. Children learn the words that allow them to articulate how they feel. Staff teach children ways to help them feel calm, such as breathing exercises. Children learn ways to manage their feelings. They begin to identify the cues that show how others may feel.
• Leaders have excellent partnerships with the host school and other local settings. They share important information, for example, when children are getting ready to make the move to school. This means that schools are ready to support children's continued care and learning needs.
• The pre-school has undergone a number of changes in staffing recently. Pre-school leaders have taken on these challenges with determination and integrity. They have worked tirelessly to build a cohesive and committed staff team, who put children at the heart of everything. Leaders acknowledge their current priority is to develop the skills and knowledge of staff, to further enhance children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• identify ways to further develop staff's knowledge and skills and support their professional development to extend children's learning even further.