Upton Pre-School Group & Afterschool Club Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The motto of 'together we grow and learn' is truly embedded across this special setting. Staff greet children each morning with a smile and a hug. Children cannot contain their excitement to enter this nurturing setting. They wave their parents off at the door and are ready to start their day of fun and adventure. Staff are good role models. They have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children know what is expected of them and they behave well. They are kind towards others. For example, when their friends become upset, they give them reassuring hugs. Children are happy and they have a strong sense of belonging.

In the main, staff provide children with a balanced curriculum, which keeps them motivated to learn. Children relish an array of activities. For example, they beam with delight while searching for bugs outdoors. They show excellent imaginative skills while helping to build a 'magical road' with wooden blocks. Staff give children's emotional well-being high priority. They spend time getting to know children and their families during the settling-in period. Children develop trusting relationships with staff and settle well. Staff provide opportunities for children to take part in yoga sessions and 'reflection time' in the sensory room. This helps children to develop their muscle strength and they learn how to relax.

Staff help children to become independent from an early age. For example, by encouraging them to hang their own coats up and to help to tidy toys away. Children are proud of their setting and their achievements. They share their artwork with staff and remind their friends of how to look after the play equipment. Children develop the necessary skills to support them in their next steps in learning.

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

• The setting has effective systems in place for self-evaluation. For example, through reflection, staff have identified that some children's progress in mathematics had declined slightly. They attended training and redeveloped learning areas to focus on children's understanding of mathematical concepts. These interventions have been highly effective and children now make good progress in mathematics.
• In the main, staff provide children with a knowledge-rich curriculum. They build on what children already know and can do. For example, staff provide opportunities for children to learn about the human body. Children relish these experiences. They are confident to name different body parts and show an early awareness of the purpose of organs, such as the brain.
• Overall, staff access an effective programme of continual professional development. They attend appraisal meetings and have supervision sessions with leaders. However, some staff do not receive incisive feedback about their interactions with children. This means that, on occasion, some activities are not best matched to children's interests and capabilities. Consequently, some children become disengaged in their learning.
• The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) is excellent. Staff leave no stone unturned in their pursuit to removing barriers to learning. Intervention plans are in place and staff monitor these with precision. Children with SEND and EAL flourish.
• Staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. They listen to children with genuine interest and ask them questions during their play. Children are confident communicators who use a range of vocabulary.
• The setting fosters children's love of reading exceptionally well. Staff read to children with animation. Children cannot contain their excitement to share books with their friends. They talk about visiting the library and recall taking books home to share with their families.
• Staff teach children incredibly well about similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, children look at their reflections in mirrors. They know that their friends have different hair, eye and skin colour. Children are tolerant of others and demonstrate good behaviour.
• Children who are in receipt of additional funding are supported exceptionally well. Staff use funding to provide children with experiences that they might not usually have. For example, children get to hold exotic animals during an animal road show. In addition, staff purchase resources to help to develop children's large-muscle skills. These interventions help to narrow gaps in children's learning. Children who access funded places make good progress.
• Staff teach children well about the world. For instance, they provide opportunities for children to take part in fundraising events. This teaches children about others who are less fortunate. Children enjoy visits from the emergency services and learn how these help in their local community. Children talk about their future aspirations, such as becoming doctors and pilots.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide staff with more incisive feedback about their interactions with children, to help to keep children more engaged in their learning.