Willand Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children have strong, nurturing relationships with their key persons and they are happy and confident. Children demonstrate high levels of engagement and enjoyment from the variety of activities on offer. Activities are enticing and specifically target the development of speech and language. For example, staff expose children to new vocabulary, sing songs and read stories. The love of reading is promoted, and children confidently engage with adults who read to them.

Staff know children well and plan the curriculum based on their next steps in learning alongside their specific interests. Staff identify if a child may need additional support from the outset. They work very well with families and external agencies to ensure that children progress in their learning. Children who need further support receive personalised learning to help them reach their potential. Children make good progress in their learning and development.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children are well behaved and staff consistently praise them. They are independent. For example, staff teach children to put their coat on and cut their fruit for snack. Staff prepare older children for starting school, such as learning to recognise their name and numbers. Younger children develop their fine motor skills through the use of carefully planned activities. This prepares them for writing when they are older.

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

• The setting provides additional experiences via the local community. For example, emergency services are invited in to talk to the children. Staff take children on trips to the post office and the local convenience store. This develops the children's knowledge and understanding of the world.
• Parents are positive about the setting and the partnerships established with them. They describe their children as being happy to attend and that they 'love' their key person. Parents of children with additional needs are supported well and comment positively about the advice which the setting offers. Communication with parents is good. Parents are regularly informed of their child's learning via conversations, a newsletter and an online platform.
• Staff support children and families to adopt a healthy lifestyle. For example, activities focus on the importance of good oral health. Information is also shared with parents to support learning at home. Staff plan specific activities to encourage healthy eating. However, opportunities are missed to extend children's learning about the importance of healthy eating and the reasons why.
• Opportunities to practise counting and learn mathematical concepts are present in the curriculum. Staff sing songs, model counting and number formation and talk about objects being 'heavy' or 'full'. Children enjoy counting in everyday activities. Older children practise subtraction through the use of nursery rhymes.
• The manager is reflective in her practice. She uses termly supervisions to identify and support staff in their continued professional development. Staff report that they feel well supported at the setting.
• The promotion of communication and language is specifically planned for. Staff engage in meaningful conversations with the children. They ask them questions to extend their learning and generally model language well. However, some staff refer to themselves and others in the third person and incorrectly name objects and animals. This does not enable children to hear and develop their own language skills as well as possible.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop opportunities to model language to help children to develop their vocabulary and speaking skills even further
• extend opportunities for children to develop their understanding of the importance of healthy eating.