Thorley Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive at this setting with big smiles, ready to embark on a day filled with fun activities. Children are at the heart of this setting. Leaders and staff create a stimulating and nurturing environment, very child-centred, aimed at sparking children's curiosity and interests. Staff continuously encourage children to make their own informed decisions of what they would like to access and explore next. For example, in the garden, children choose to explore the slide, and supportive staff guide them to wait for their turn and use the apparatus safely. They are eager and enthusiastic to have a go. This helps build on children's gross motor skills, balance and coordination.

Staff are very nurturing and intuitive to children's needs. They have high expectations of children, who rise to the challenge exceptionally well. As a result, children form fond relationships with the staff, behave well and navigate their learning provision with confidence. Children understand the setting's routines and boundaries with ease, and they are independent and positive learners. For example, at snack time, children pour their own drinks and make their own healthy choices. When they finish eating, children place the empty plates on the trolley. Staff continuously offer children praise and recognition for their efforts. This makes them feel involved and valued during their time at this setting, which supports their emotional resilience and self-esteem.

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

• Staff and leaders offer a diverse and inclusive practice. Tailored home visits and settling-in sessions mean children adapt to the new environment very well. Staff carefully consider children's interests when planning meaningful activities. Children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and make good progress in their learning.
• Staff have good knowledge and understanding of children's development. They complete regular observations and next steps in children's learning, which they share with parents. Staff meet regularly with parents to discuss their children's progress and involve them in their learning. However, staff do not always identify when to consistently challenge children's learning to extend it further.
• Staff create great opportunities for children to explore resources such as flowers and teabags with real utensils to enrich their sensory experiences. Children are fascinated to make their own potions, mixing water with petals and teabag contents. They use spoons to fill jugs, strengthening their fine motor skills and dexterity. Staff engage children in discussions about what they are doing, prompting them to share resources and describe their potion. This supports children's imaginative skills, language and social interactions.
• To further develop children's role play and imagination, staff encourage children to build large train tracks. As children work hard to slot the track pieces together, staff prompt them to notice the different sizes to enhance their mathematical skills. Children work well together with their peers, contributing positively to this play. This supports their social interactions.
• Children enjoy exploring a wide array of malleable and sensory resources. With help from kind staff, they learn to roll the play dough using rolling pins and scoop sand into buckets using small spades. Furthermore, children follow staff's instructions, with curiosity and intent, to use pipettes correctly. They also mix various colours using paintbrushes and observe the effects. This supports children's critical thinking, problem-solving skills and cognitive development.
• Children love books and develop a passion for reading. As staff read children's favourite story, they look at the pictures with enthusiasm and comment on how some of the characters may be feeling and why. This helps develop children's emotional development and early reading skills.
• Leaders are very ambitious and reflective. They have a very clear vision for their setting and work relentlessly to ensure that all children have the best start to their early education. Leaders value their staff and create a positive and supportive culture. Staff benefit from regular meetings, supervisions and tailored training programmes to enhance their professional development. Leaders' passion and commitment is equally embraced by all staff.
• Partnerships with parents are robust. They value the setting's child-centred approach and effective communication. Parents feel well supported and involved in their children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to adapt their interactions and teaching to a consistently high level so that children's learning is extended.