Tillys Preschool Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enter happily and are eager to explore and play at the setting. They are greeted at the door by the friendly staff. Children have positive relationships with adults and peers and feel secure. Children of all ages can play together. Staff are skilful in setting up the environment, and they provide appealing resources for the children. Children have opportunities to explore and make choices in their play. For instance, when children become immersed while pretending to cook, they help themselves to 'pizzas' in the role play kitchen.

Children are keen to play outside. They enjoy playing on the climbing equipment, listening to aeroplanes overhead and exploring sand. Children participate in circle time at different points of the day. They have a clear understanding of their routines. They concentrate well during circle time. For example, after reading a story with an adult, children excitedly vote for their favourite song to sing together. Staff provide a curriculum tailored to the children's interests and individual needs. There are high expectations for all children. For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), staff have specific targets in place to support each child, and they work closely with multiple agencies. Staff know the families well and go out of their way to support them when needed.

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

• Leaders are passionate about the setting. They have high expectations to provide high-quality learning for all. They continually evaluate the resources and experiences for the children. For example, they add question cards to support staff in extending and building on children's language skills.
• Staff model positive behaviours and are respectful and kind to one another. This helps children to behave well, listen carefully and work well together. For example, children help one another to find different resources when playing in the role play kitchen.
• Staff support children to be independent. Children learn to manage their self-care needs on their own. They support families with potty training. Staff use a timer, to help remind children to go to the toilet. Parents feel very happy with the support staff provide for their children.
• Children are supported to be resilient learners. For example, toddlers are challenged to make marks and to practise drawing straight lines. Older children are further challenged to write simple letters in their names.
• The special educational needs coordinator uses her knowledge to support children with SEND well. She regularly liaises with external agencies to coordinate targeted support and resources for children with SEND. On occasion, staff do not recognise how they can fully support children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) to express their wants and needs.
• Parents are very happy with the service they receive and feel supported. However, the setting needs to continue building on communications with parents, to support them to be more involved in their children's learning.
• Children understand their routine. They engage in a circle time, and staff demonstrate high levels of communication and language opportunities, asking appropriate questions, recalling the story and pausing frequently. This allows for the children to further develop their speaking and listening skills.
• Staff engage the children well. They understand the children's interests and follow their lead. For example, when in the garden, the children were captivated by some autumn leaves on the ground. Staff seized on this learning opportunity to teach children about the season, discussing why it happens and what they can do with the leaves.
• Leadership and management have a good understanding of how to support staff through various training and meetings. Staff feel valued and benefit from regular supervision meetings. Leaders identify areas of improvement and use the funding effectively.
• Generally, staff demonstrate high levels of communication and language opportunities for children. They use pauses, ask appropriate questions and recall stories, allowing children to develop their speaking, listening and comprehension skills.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen teaching to provide more support for children who speak EAL by understanding the needs of all children who speak EAL and using a range of tools to support them through the curriculum
• work more closely with parents to provide further information about children's learning and daily activities.