Tiger Cubs Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, settled and make good relationships with their peers and staff. Leaders plan a variety of activities throughout the week that enhance children's experiences, such as forest school sessions and cooking. Children play cooperatively with each other while they explore the activities.

Staff have high expectations. For example, staff remind children of the setting's rules during carpet time, and the children recall these well. The setting has well-established routines, which mean children have a good understanding of what is happening now and what will happen next. Children independently do things for themselves, such as putting their cups away after snack time and wiping their own faces while looking at themselves in a mirror.

Staff gather information from parents to help them to plan a curriculum that supports children to learn through activities that interest and engage them. For example, staff incorporate children's favourite characters into the environment to encourage them to participate in the activities on offer.

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

• Leaders are reflective and have high expectations for children's learning. They have a good understanding of the setting's strengths and areas of the environment they would like to develop further, such as the outdoor area. Leaders ensure that staff have time to discuss any concerns they have and that their well-being is a priority. Staff report they feel supported in their roles.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff encourage information-sharing that supports them to have a good understanding of children's emotional needs and how to support them. For example, during the settling-in process, staff agree with parents the pace at which their child settles. Parents share their children's interests, and staff use this information to support them to settle in well. Parents are happy with the setting and feel their children are ready for their next steps in learning.
• Leaders provide staff with induction training and ongoing supervision sessions. This helps staff to understand their roles and responsibilities. However, leaders do not always provide staff with feedback to support them to develop their skills and recognise how to further enhance children's learning and development. This means, at times, children do not fully benefit from staff supporting them to extend their thinking and expand their knowledge further.
• Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and are proactive in seeking support from other professionals and applying for funding where needed. They use additional funding to support children's development. For example, cooking activities are provided to support children to explore different foods and enhance their understanding of healthy eating.
• Leaders provide a book lending library to encourage children to engage with a variety of books and foster a love of reading both in the setting and at home. During activities, staff use books to enhance children's learning, such as to find out more about an area of interest. This supports children to understand that they can get information from books.
• Children have access to a well-organised garden space with a large variety of activities that support their physical development. They enjoy climbing a role-play castle, playing in sand and rolling tyres down a hill. This supports children's gross motor development and social skills as they play together, taking turns and negotiating space.
• Staff ensure that food that is brought in for mealtimes is healthy and nutritious. Staff promote good hygiene practices, such as washing hands before eating. They talk to children about healthy food choices and ask them questions to encourage them to think about how their food makes them feel and when they are full up. Robust procedures are in place to ensure that children's dietary requirements are met and that children are kept safe during mealtimes.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen systems to support staff to develop their skills and recognise how to enhance children's learning and development further.