Walkington Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders plan an exciting curriculum, which is based on children's interests and learning needs. Children engage well in their learning and make good progress. They enjoy exploring the resources in the well-planned learning environments, indoors and outside. Staff encourage children to talk to them about their learning. They listen carefully as children explain why they have chosen certain colours for their paintings. Children develop the confidence to share their thoughts and ideas and attempt new learning challenges.

Staff make excellent use of the local woods as a place for children to learn. They plan regular visits and children find out how the woods change over the year. Children listen carefully to instructions from staff, for example, to remain close to the group. They use their imaginations to the full as they pick up sticks and pretend they are magic wands. Children display much curiosity as they discover a large box situated in a tree. Staff explain that the box has been put there to provide a safe home for the bats who live in the woods. Children develop a deep understanding of the natural world.

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

• Staff nurture children's love of books. There is a quiet, cosy book area in the pre-school that children frequently access. Staff plan times during the day to read new and familiar stories. Children are engrossed as they listen and anticipate what is going to happen next. They are keen to recall the names of characters and plots from their favourite books.
• Children demonstrate friendly behaviour towards each other. They take care of the resources and understand the importance of the pre-school's rules. Staff ask children to be the 'helping hand' for the day. Children show much pride as they are selected to take the lead in certain tasks. This helps to build their confidence and self-esteem.
• Staff invite people from different occupations, such as the fire service and dentist, to visit and talk to children about their jobs. Children show great interest as they find out about the diverse roles that people have in their local community.
• Pre-school leaders ensure that staff complete all mandatory training to meet requirements. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how to meet children's care and learning needs. However, leaders have not identified professional development opportunities to build on staff's existing skills and knowledge, to further enhance the quality of education.
• Staff say that they are happy and feel appreciated in their roles. They comment that pre-school leaders are always very supportive. Staff consistently promote a calm and friendly ethos in the pre-school that strongly supports children's well- being.
• Children become increasingly independent. Staff use daily routines to encourage children to have a go themselves. Children pour their drinks and use knives to spread butter on toast. They put on their special outdoor trousers and wellingtons to go into the woods. Staff are on hand to provide the right level of support, when needed.
• Parents speak highly of the pre-school provision. They say that the induction arrangements help their children to settle quickly. Parents know their children are happy and safe, which provides them with much reassurance. Parents praise staff, describing them as 'a lovely team'. They value the support which they receive to support their children's learning at home.
• Children who speak English as an additional language hear and use their home languages in the pre-school. This boosts their self-esteem and understanding of pre-school routines. Staff teach children about the different cultures and customs of families. Children gain an understanding and develop positive attitudes about communities beyond their own.
• There are good partnerships with the local school that most children will attend. Staff liaise with teachers to ensure that children's moves from the pre-school to school go as smoothly as possible. However, leaders have not fully implemented ways to share relevant information with all settings that children also currently attend.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• identify professional development opportunities for staff to enhance their teaching skills further, to raise the quality of education to consistently outstanding levels
• strengthen the ways that information is shared with other settings that children also attend, to ensure consistency in children's care and learning.