The Treehouse Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and parents are greeted at the gate to the outdoor play area by happy, smiling staff. They are on hand to welcome the children and speak to parents about how their children have been and anything they need to know for that day. Children give a cheery wave or hug to their parents and quickly engage in outdoor play and learning, selecting from the range of resources and activities presented for them. Staff present the resources in an interesting way to help to capture their interests. They plan an ambitious curriculum, both indoors and outdoors, based on what they know about the children's interests, likes and dislikes. Staff use the circle session at the beginning of the day to welcome the children to pre-school and explain the activities available for them to enjoy.

Children are well behaved and show respect for each other. They use good manners when asking other children or staff questions and take turns to use the resources. Staff provide children with clear instructions, such as when they ask them to help to tidy some of the toys away in preparation for snack or lunch. Children confidently tell staff about the pre-school rules. They know to use 'kind hands' and indoor voices and that they do not go up the steps to the stage area.

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

• This is the first inspection of this pre-school under the current ownership. The provider has a strong and secure senior leadership team, who oversee the linked provisions and support the individual setting managers in their day-to-day operations. Staff well-being is given high priority by the provider to help staff to feel valued and respected. The provider has clear plans moving forward, which include a focus on staff training and development in 2025.
• Parents speak highly of the pre-school and state that their children really enjoy attending. They are complimentary about the friendliness of the staff and managers and how well they feel their children are cared for. When recommending the pre-school to other parents, many say that they like the fact that children receive lots of outdoor learning. The management team work with parents and carers to find ways to ensure that they feel involved and included in the pre-school.
• Children have good relationships with the staff. Older children chat confidently to them and enjoy the interactions they receive from staff. Younger babies receive comfort and cuddles to help them to feel secure. Staff in the baby area spend much of their time sitting on the floor with the babies encouraging them to explore the selection of resources available to them.
• Children enjoy playing with construction materials. They build towers and walls. Staff are on hand to support this play, encouraging children to extend their thinking by talking about what they have built, how many bricks they have used and what kind of structure they are building.
• Staff follow children's interests when setting out the resources each day. They know that the current cohort of children enjoy small-world play, so frequently present a selection of small-world resources in an interesting way to capture the children's interests.
• Children's understanding of the world is effectively promoted as staff make good use of the local environment. They take children on walks to the local park, church and other places of interest. Where possible, the provider brings people into the pre-school to further enhance the children's learning.
• Children are able to vote for which book they would like staff to read them. Most children listen attentively to stories. However, large-group activities, such as the group story time, do not always capture the interests of younger children or those who struggle to engage in larger groups. While staff recognise this, they do not plan well enough to ensure that these activities are engaging for all children.
• At times, staff do not enable children to fully develop their independence. They complete tasks for them before allowing them to have a go or try different ways of achieving their chosen activity.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the effectiveness of large-group activities, especially for the younger or less engaged children, to ensure they benefit from the learning on offer
• guide staff to consider ways to further develop children's independence.