Warboys Underfives Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a warm welcome for all children and their families at the pre-school. They know the families exceptionally well, and children feel very secure in an environment that they find stimulating. Children have great fun exploring and taking part in activities designed to enhance all areas of their development, whether they are indoors or outdoors. Children have learned to ride balance bicycles and tricycles and expertly steer their way around without bumping into others. They show great enthusiasm for imaginary play and talk readily about their creations as they build hotels for dinosaurs.

Staff work hard to encourage children to be independent according to their developmental stages. Children readily accept the challenges and concentrate well as they master the art of hanging their coats up or placing their lunch boxes in the correct tubs when they arrive. Children understand what is expected of them, and their behaviour is good. They have warm, trusting relationships with staff and consequently show confidence in their surroundings, even though some may have just started pre-school for the first time. Staff genuinely enjoy their time with children. They spend their day playing alongside children and know just what support they need.

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

• The strong leadership team demonstrates a commitment to providing inclusive services for all children and families. Leaders and managers see themselves as an integral part of the local community and actively seek opportunities to teach children about the people around them. They are aware of the challenges that families may experience and respond with understanding and support, fostering an environment where families feel valued and included.
• Staff know children well and plan a suitable curriculum to enhance children's learning according to their individual starting points. Staff place great importance on consistent daily routines that children learn very quickly when they start at pre-school. Children benefit from the support of staff and take part in lovely conversations as they play together. Children readily share their ideas, and staff take particular care in ensuring that all children gain confidence in their communication skills.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make swift progress at the pre-school. Staff ensure that they have the necessary information to meet children's needs and form good partnerships with other professionals involved. Due to staff's diligence, children take full part in the pre-school activities and are beginning to make friends with others. When the time comes, staff are proactive in ensuring that children's transition to school is smooth and as stress-free as possible.
• Staff plan children's experiences and deliver a good mixture of freely chosen and adult-led activities. Children know what to expect during the day and readily join in with group activities and routines, such as snack time. Staff generally organise these times well. However, there are occasions when the level of teaching is not consistent, and both planned and spontaneous learning intentions are lessened.
• Staff recognise the importance of enhancing and developing children's dexterity and coordination. They ensure that activities such as dough and mark making are always available for children to practise. Children readily enjoy drawing using a variety of resources. They paint pictures and generally show they are gaining the skills needed when learning to write.
• Parents share very positive feedback about the pre-school. They appreciate the supportive and welcoming staff, who respond quickly to any queries or worries they may have. Parents say they receive lots of information about children's activities and are aware of how well the staff care and protect children.
• The well-established team's staff are extremely supportive of one another. They show a passion for their roles and clearly value their time with children. Staff attend training and undertake regular supervision meetings to help them develop their practice. Self-evaluation is embedded. Currently, staff are planning more ways for children to learn about eco-friendly measures, such as recycling and composting.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen teaching even further so that staff deliver adult-led activities, group activities and routine activities to a consistently high level and children fully benefit from such experiences.