The Village Pre School and Kids Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly on arrival. They run in confidently and leave their parents at the gate. Children are relaxed and contented in the calm and friendly pre-school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) build strong emotional attachments with their key person. They readily go for a cuddle and share their experiences with them. Children understand the routines of the day. They listen well to instructions from staff. For example, when staff ring a bell and announce tidy-up time, children eagerly begin to help put the toys and equipment away. They show a sense of respect for the learning environment.

Children show superb early technology skills as they play and interact on the computer using age-appropriate games. They know their screen time is limited and learn to keep themselves safe when using technology. Children concentrate well as they construct unique models from recyclable materials. They demonstrate good problem-solving skills when using a variety of materials, such as boxes and tape, to create their designs. Children beam with pride as they share their creations. Staff help to raise children's self-confidence as they praise them for their achievements.

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

• The provider and managers support the staff team well. Staff report the management team support their health and well-being, and they find one-to-one meetings helpful. Staff support children with SEND well. They work with other professionals to narrow any gaps in learning quickly. This promotes the continuity of care, learning and development.
• The managers have a good understanding of the pre-school's strengths and weaknesses. Recent observations identified mathematics and physical development are areas children need more help with. As a result, staff plan whole-group time activities to support these areas of learning. However, these activities are sometimes lengthy and consolidate what some children already know rather than consistently challenging and extending their learning further.
• Overall, staff interact well with children. Children enjoy role playing doctors with staff, who act as willing patients. They create cakes out of the mud in the pretend kitchen outdoors. This demonstrates a positive attitude to learning. Staff encourage an early love of books as they read to children one-on-one or in whole-group story time. However, staff are not always quick to identify when some children might need further support to engage fully in their play and learning.
• Managers and staff have an overall good understanding of how children learn. They encourage children to choose what resources they would like to set out. This helps to ensure activities reflect children's interests and support their learning across the curriculum. Children have opportunities to take part in forest school sessions. These help them to build life skills in a natural environment.
• Staff promote children's good health. Children spend lots of time outside in the fresh air developing their physical skills. They thoroughly enjoy negotiating space on the wheeled toys and searching for one another during a game of hide and seek. Children adopt healthy hygiene routines, when they wash their hands before and after eating.
• Staff use the local area well to introduce children to the community beyond the pre-school. They organise trips to the shops, visits to see local farm animals and outings to the neighbouring church.
• Staff encourage children to use good manners and develop self-help skills. For example, they gently remind children 'we don't say what, we say pardon.' Children develop a keen sense of responsibility. They take pride in tasks, such as setting the table for snacks. Staff offer children lots of praise for their help.
• Parents comment positively about the pre-school and the staff. They praise the quality of care their children receive. Parents say their children have made progress in their speech and language since attending pre-school. They appreciate the regular information staff share about their children's learning and the lengths staff go to meet their children's individual needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• improve group time activities to ensure staff challenge and extend all children's learning during these times
• support staff to better recognise when some children may need additional support to help them engage in their learning.