Treetops Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this friendly pre-school. They arrive with big smiles, eager to start their morning. Children are greeted warmly by staff and receive lots of individual attention. This helps them to feel secure and settled. Children play happily, indoors and outdoors, and thoroughly enjoy their time at the pre-school.

Staff have high expectations and want children to achieve all that they can. Children develop important skills and are provided with information which helps to prepare them for starting school. They listen to adults and learn to follow instructions and routines. Older children use picture cards to remind each other of the rules, such as walking indoors and being kind. They develop friendships and enjoy group activities, such as morning circle times, where they greet each other with a welcoming song.

Children clearly enjoy their learning. They develop a love of books and listen intently to stories read by adults. Children display energy and enthusiasm as they sing and tap out rhythms on percussion instruments. They learn to distinguish between sounds and movements as they play loud and quiet, fast and slow. Children become absorbed in intricate activities in the 'funky fingers' area. This helps to strengthen the small-muscle movements in their hands, in preparation for writing.

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

• The managers, who also own the pre-school, form an enthusiastic and dedicated team. They constantly reflect on the setting and make positive changes to enhance children's learning. Parents say that their children settle in quickly and really love attending the pre-school. They describe staff as friendly and approachable. Parents compliment staff's teaching skills and talk about how they 'go the extra mile' to support their children.
• Staff organise the learning environment to support children's curiosity and independence. Children are interested and inquisitive as they play with the stimulating and adaptable resources, including shells, pine cones and sand. They explore their own ideas, such as whether items will float or sink in water. Children develop good concentration skills. They focus well as they practise writing and proudly show that they can write some of the letters from their names.
• Managers and staff plan an interesting and balanced curriculum for children. They ensure that children have opportunities to lead their own learning and to learn from adults. Managers quickly identify where children are not making the progress expected. They work closely with parents to draw up individualised plans and seek support from other professionals when needed. This early intervention helps all children to achieve as much as they can.
• Staff understand how to support children's language skills very effectively. For instance, they use lots of repetition and simplify their language when needed. Staff also use visual prompts, such as picture cards and a pictorial timetable, to help children to understand rules and routines. This helps all children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to become confident and effective communicators.
• Staff find interesting and enjoyable ways to teach children about numbers. For example, children join in keenly with number rhymes. Staff support them to carefully count 'sausages frying in a pan'. They demonstrate how children can use their fingers to calculate how many sausages are left when one goes 'bang'. However, staff do not always make the most of opportunities to promote other areas of mathematics, such as shape and measurement.
• Children learn to make positive choices about their health and well-being. They play outdoors each day, follow good hygiene routines and enjoy vigorous exercise. Staff talk to children about making healthy choices to keep their bodies fit and strong. They provide advice for parents on issues such as balanced diets and good oral hygiene for children.
• Staff get to know the children well and speak affectionately about their individual personalities and traits. They guide children's behaviour sensitively, using consistent reminders about the rules and boundaries. Children learn what is expected of them and behave well. However, sometimes, staff miss opportunities to discuss children's feelings with them, to help them to express and begin to moderate their strong emotions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop the curriculum and teaching for mathematics, to focus more consistently on helping children to learn about shape and measurement
• build on the opportunities to support children's understanding of a broad range of emotions, to help them to express and begin to moderate their feelings.