Widey Court Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and well cared for at this friendly pre-school. They make good friendships and enjoy playing alongside each other. They learn about a wide variety of topics as part of an ambitious curriculum based on their interests and the next steps in their development. Staff provide learning experiences that engage and motivate children. For example, children take part in activities designed to provoke their curiosity, such as experimenting with large magnets. They laugh with delight as they quickly pick up and move objects using the magnets. Staff teach children ambitious vocabulary as they play, such as 'repel' and 'attract'. Children demonstrate good levels of concentration for their age.

Staff are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They form warm relationships with children and help them to become more confident over time. Children respond well to staff as they encourage them to participate in group activities, including games using a parachute. Children learn to take turns and share equipment as they enthusiastically roll balls down a ramp. Staff support them to take managed risks in the outdoor area to help build their self-confidence. Children carefully balance as they walk along on wooden benches and pull themselves up on climbing frames. Staff deploy themselves well to help ensure children are safe at all times.

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

• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are particularly well supported. Staff know their needs very well and confidently discuss the progress they have made in the setting. They provide targeted interventions, where necessary, to support children with specific areas of difficulty. Staff ensure children receive the specialist support they need from other professionals. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Staff develop children's communication and language skills well. They use both spoken words and signing to support children to understand their meaning. Staff frequently join in children's imaginative play, such as playing in the role play area or taking part in a puppet show. They use these opportunities to develop children's language skills, using effective questioning that encourages children to share their ideas and through modelling new vocabulary.
• Children use mathematical language as they play. They confidently talk about numbers to three and recognise different shapes. However, staff do not consistently build on children's mathematical knowledge as they play to support them to develop their skills even further.
• Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They concentrate for extended periods of time and enjoy taking part in the different learning experiences available to them. For instance, they excitedly look for different creatures in the outdoor area and delight when they find slugs' eggs using their magnifying glasses. Children demonstrate great levels of curiosity and enjoyment.
• Staff help children to become more independent over time. There is a clear progression in skills that are taught step by step by staff. Children demonstrate good levels of independence for their age. For instance, they carefully pour their own drinks from jugs into cups and serve their own snack. Staff have shared high expectations of what children can do by themselves.
• Staff encourage children to be respectful towards each other. They gain information about children's beliefs and cultural backgrounds when they start in the setting. Staff talk to children in an age-appropriate way about their similarities and differences. However, they do not celebrate children's cultural heritage in a way that helps children to appreciate diversity and understand what makes them unique.
• Staff morale is high. They take part in regular supervisions and receive training linked to their interests to develop their practice. For instance, some members of staff have recently taken part in training linked to the outdoor provision. They report on the positive impact this has had on their interactions with children and the organisation of activities that inspire and maintain children's interest.
• Staff establish good relationships with parents. They provide a very good settling-in process for children, including carrying out home visits. Parents report on how happy their children are in the pre-school and describe the setting as a 'family'. Staff provide information to parents on their child's next steps, such as through daily discussions and parents' evenings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff's knowledge of how to promote mathematics in children's play to develop children's mathematical skills even further
• continue to build on opportunities for children to learn about cultural diversity to ensure children's individual heritage is celebrated within the setting.