Treasure Tots Pre-School Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy their time at this welcoming setting, building secure bonds with the caring staff. Staff take time to understand each child, offering them well-tailored support. They are positive role models, demonstrating an enthusiastic, calm approach. Children respond to this and eagerly try new activities. For example, they make bark rubbings, enthusiastically noting the patterns and noticing that these resemble snakes. They confidently challenge themselves further as they stretch up, holding their paper as they reach higher branches to make rubbings. This positive environment supports children in gaining the skills that underpin their learning.

Staff are good role models, showing that they are calm, fair and respectful. They support children well in understanding and managing their behaviour, talking with them and offering clear explanations. For example, children talk with staff about recognising that others have different ideas about how to play with the toys. Staff check all areas and resources to ensure that they are safe and suitable for children to use. Their ongoing support and explanations help children develop a good understanding of safety. For instance, when playing outside, staff support children in considering how high they can safely climb the tree and how they will get down.

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

• Staff are committed to developing the pre-school and offering the best service they can. Frequent supervision supports this and enables staff to identify training needs and develop their practice. Robust procedures ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.
• Staff ensure that the pre-school's practical curriculum is implemented daily through the provision of appropriate resources and play opportunities. They aim for high standards, using their observations of children to understand their progress and build logically on this. Robust monitoring ensures that all children are making good progress and enables staff to address any weaker areas. Staff use additional funding well to further promote children's learning.
• Staff talk clearly with children and support them well in developing their communication skills. They engage children in discussions. For example, children talk about the potatoes they are playing with. They learn new vocabulary, such as 'supermarket' and 'mash', repeating this as they play.
• Children enjoy many opportunities that support them in developing their creativity, language and collaborative working skills. For example, children and staff set out chairs to make a bus. They decide they are 'going to the beach', pretending to walk through sand and jump over waves.
• Children build a growing enjoyment of books and reading. The thoughtful provision of books containing photographs of the children and activities spark their interest. Children develop favourite books, enjoying associated activities, such as crafts and matching games, that enhance their enjoyment.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported and make good progress. Staff understand their needs and work tirelessly to make sure these are met. They work very well with parents and other professionals, ensuring that children's development is frequently reviewed.
• Sensitive staff support enables older children to mix with the younger ones. They learn about their needs as they pass them toys and gently stroke their heads. Specific activities, such as looking at different types of homes, support children in learning about diversity in their community and the wider world.
• Children are usually very well supported by staff and are good at choosing resources and joining in with activities. However, at times, they are not as engaged and staff do not always notice quickly and make the best use of opportunities to support and extend children's play.
• Staff build friendly, professional relationships with parents. They communicate well, enabling parents to understand what their children have been learning and build on this. Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They note the good progress their children make, particularly in developing communication skills.
• Children enjoy healthy snack options and staff support them in washing their hands whenever needed. However, staff do not consistently support children in understanding the relevance of healthy lifestyle practices.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the already good practice, guiding staff to be more consistent in noting when children need additional support to engage in play and to fully extend their thinking and learning
• extend the opportunities that support children in understanding the relevance of healthy lifestyle practices.