Top Place Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled in the pre-school. They access a wide range of activities that interests them. This helps children to be motivated to learn. Children show respect and care for each other and the adults that care for them. Staff are attentive and nurturing towards the children.

Children participate eagerly in routines. Staff sing to them at 'tidy up time' as children help put the toys away. Children have a range of opportunities to learn how to keep themselves healthy. They cut their own fruit up using knives and put their plates away on the trolley once they have finished. Staff talk to the children about healthy eating and how they keep their teeth clean. Children develop their understanding of keeping healthy as they clean model teeth with water and toothbrushes. They have a lot of opportunities to enjoy physical activities. Children ride up and down the garden in ride-on cars racing each other. They also move with confident coordination as they join in with music and movement sessions.

Staff recognise children's achievements. At the end of the day they give children stickers to celebrate their accomplishments. They proudly come and show the visitor what sticker they have been awarded.

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

• Ambition is set high for the children and they achieve well in their learning. Staff provide a good range of activities that extend the children's learning, especially the older children. While most children remain engaged in activities, at times, staff do not always help the youngest children stay focused on their learning.
• There is a strong focus on communication and language. Staff continuously sing with the children so they know it is time for the next activity. For example, when staff begin singing the 'snack time' song, all the children join in and know instinctively to come and get ready for snack. This helps to embed routines and children's expectations of the day.
• Staff promote preparation for school readiness. They encourage children to be independent in their self-care. Older children are offered activities, such as cutting and phonics sessions. Children read books about going to school and they role play, putting on school uniforms and pretend to get ready for school. This helps children to be confident when the time comes for them to move to the next stage of their learning.
• Staff adapt activities to suit the needs of the children. Children roll out dough and press it into laminated letters to outline the shape of the letter. Staff talk to the children about the shape of the letter and how they can mould it into a 'D'. Younger children enjoy squishing the dough in their hands and rolling it into shapes.
• The management and staff are reflective in their practice. For example, they divide the children into two groups for activities to enable the staff to deliver focused activities. However, not all staff offer equally high quality interactions during small group work.
• Staff recognise the impact that COVID-19 has on the children. Staff encourage children to take books home to read with parents. This helps to encourage communication and language skills and offer an increased continuity of learning.
• Children with special education needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff quickly identify when children require additional help and support parents to access this. They liaise with other professionals to help ensure that children receive the support they need to make good progress from their starting points.
• The manager supports staff professional development effectively. They meet with staff to identify any training needs. New staff attend the relevant training swiftly and the team regularly spends time finding ways to improve their practice.
• Parents' feedback is positive. Staff regularly update them with their child's progress via an online learning journal and parents' consultation week. Parents report their children make excellent progress, particularly in their communication skills. Parents say there is a strong community feel to the pre-school and that their children are nurtured and well cared for.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to engage younger children more successfully in their learning to develop their specific interests
• help staff build on their teaching skills, during small group times, so that all children have equally high-quality opportunities to learn.