Welbourn Wonderbugs Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are safe and have very secure attachments to staff. They talk to staff confidently about their interests and home life. Children know the routine when they arrive at the pre-school. They leave parents at the door happily and use sanitiser on their hands. Children select a stone that displays their name and put it in a box for self-registration, to confirm to staff that they have arrived. Children behave well. They know the rules and boundaries in the pre-school. An example of this is when children show staff how they can hold scissors safely when they walk, with the point facing downwards. Children take turns with others when, for example, they throw a ball to play a game of catch.

Children show joy and excitement when they play outdoors. Four-year-olds look carefully and gauge the distance when they throw balls into a hoop. Two-year-olds use their hands to scoop sand in to pretend ice-cream cones. They pass it to visitors and tell them that it is 'strawberry' flavoured. Staff deliver a strong curriculum that stretches children's abilities appropriately. When children show an interest in rock pools, staff help them to identify creatures that live in them, such as crabs. Children experiment moving their bodies in different ways and pretend to be a crab, moving sideways.

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

• The manager has an overview of all children's development. She uses this information to support the curriculum and to help close any gaps in children's learning. The manager identified that some children needed further support to recognise numbers and to count. An example of this is when staff ask two-year-olds how many skittles they stand up. Staff ask three-year-olds to recognise numbers to 10.
• Staff use their good knowledge of children to help provide opportunities to enhance the experiences they receive. An example of this is to encourage children to take turns to promote positive behaviour. This is particularly beneficial for children who do not have siblings and opportunities to share their own toys at home. Children learn how to behave positively around others.
• Staff help children to learn skills they need in preparation for their move on to school. They encourage children to be independent. Children use a step to reach the sink to wash their hands. They use an outdoor tap to access water to fill a wheelbarrow.
• Children demonstrate a sense of pride in their achievements. Staff remind them to wear an apron when they join a painting activity. Children persevere and do it themselves saying, 'I did it' when they complete the task.
• Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their literacy skills. For example, they encourage older children to form the letters in their name. This contributes to children's developing pencil control.
• During the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the manager supported parents to encourage their children's learning at home. For example, she gave children 'activity packs' to complete with their parents. Now that children have returned to the setting, the staff do not support parents consistently to continue their children's learning at home.
• Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to be creative. An example of this is when children play with toy dolls. Staff provide them with the resources to pretend to bathe their dolls and ask children their dolls name. Children tell staff that one is called 'Celotape' and show good imaginative skills.
• Staff talk to children about potential dangers when they research information on technological devices. For example, they explain to children that they always need to sit with parents or an adult. This helps to promote children's safety when they access the internet.
• The manager supports her staff and helps them to reflect on their practice. However, she has not identified how professional development opportunities can increase staff's knowledge. In particular, of how staff can support younger children's speaking skills consistently.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to consistently support parents to continue their children's learning at home
• strengthen the professional development of staff to develop their knowledge of how to support younger children's speaking skills.