Walton Under Fives Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this setting. They enjoy a range of exciting and stimulating activities that are adapted to suit their individual needs and interests. Staff highly praise children, which contributes to children's exceptional levels of confidence and independence within the nurturing and engaging environment. Children have a secure understanding of the routines and know what is happening next. For example, staff use strategies, such as ringing a bell. Children immediately recognise what this means and begin to gather for registration.

Children show excitement and motivation to learn. As a result, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make excellent overall progress from their starting points. For example, children eagerly join in with junk modelling, showing great anticipation when using their imaginations to decide what they are going make. Highly skilled staff carry out regular assessments of children's learning, enabling them to fully support children's next steps. For example, staff are enhancing children's communication and are focusing on mouth movements to support speech sounds.

Relationships with parents and other professionals are exceptionally strong. Parents feel valued by the staff in supporting their children's learning. The highly effective communication systems that have recently been implemented by new management ensure that parents are fully aware of their children's experiences and how to continue this support while at home.

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

• The inspirational manager leads the ambitious and passionate staff team well. She is an excellent role model and has an inspiring commitment to provide the highest possible quality of care for the children. Staff performance is closely monitored and, as a result, staff feel valued and supported. The manager provides regular opportunities for staff to discuss their teaching practice, which is highly effective in helping to ensure excellent outcomes for children.
• Staff are extremely successful in creating an ambitious curriculum. Children confidently choose from the stimulating resources that are set out in a very relaxed and calm atmosphere. They have plenty of opportunities to explore and investigate indoors, and thoroughly enjoy an Easter egg hunt outside with their parents.
• Children's behaviour is superb. They show exceptional care and concern to their friends, the resources and the environment. For example, children exclaim 'they are allergic' when they see another child, who previously had a milk intolerance, pour milk into a cup. Staff swiftly praise the children and offer immediate reassurance. Furthermore, children show perseverance and good problem- solving skills when faced with challenges, such as when attempting to stick up their golden rules. They continue work together to achieve what they intended and are successful.
• Staff focus heavily on providing children with the skills that they need to develop and maintain consistent hygiene practice. For example, children are encouraged to wipe their noses and independently get a tissue, and they wash their hands afterwards. Staff have conversations with children about the links between making healthy food choices and maintaining good dental hygiene. Children enjoy listing healthy foods, such as 'lemon', and share their likes and dislikes.
• The manager places a high emphasis on raising children's awareness of personal safety, such as during snack time. For example, staff share safety picture cards and discuss the importance of fire safety. Children confidently talk about 'mighty mouse', which is a lockdown procedure that has been introduced to children.
• The manager and staff know exactly what they want children to achieve in preparation for their transition into school. This is embedded well and supports children's well-being and emotional development. The manager and staff have established strong links with the local school, and have shared strategies to support children's communication skills. For example, children choose books to take home to enjoy with their parents alongside a communication book that parents can add to.
• The newly appointed manager recognised the need for more-robust communication with parents. The manager has used highly effective self-evaluation strategies to enhance communication links. For example, parents now receive termly reports on their child's development, supporting home learning. Parents comment positively on the more in-depth and regular communication that they receive. Parents recognise the positive impact that the new management has had on the quality of setting.
• The special educational needs coordinator liaises very closely with external agencies and other professionals to ensure that children receive the very best possible care and learning opportunities. Consequently, children with SEND make steady progress and any gaps in children's learning are identified swiftly.