Willowfield Pre-School Limited

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff provide a nurturing, well-organised and stimulating environment where children make excellent progress. Staff demonstrate warmth, professionalism and a clear understanding of early childhood development. They successfully support children's personal development, behaviour and independence. Children demonstrate consistently positive behaviour and attitudes. They show confidence in the setting and form secure attachments with familiar staff, running to them for cuddles and comfort.

Children listen carefully to instructions and follow routines well, such as lining up to wash their hands. They understand the importance of hand hygiene and use soap with confidence. Staff provide clear explanations, for instance, about the use of gloves to prevent the spread of germs. Snack time is a calm and social occasion where children are given choices. Children use tongs to serve themselves, developing independence and coordination.

Staff are positive role models. They guide behaviour calmly and respectfully, reminding children about safety and patience. When disagreements arise, staff intervene gently, encouraging children to be kind and to share. Children are enthusiastic and engaged in their play. They work cooperatively, passing balls during football or playing side by side making potions. They show increasing independence and take pride in their achievements, which are celebrated through praise from kind and caring staff.

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

• Children benefit from a well-planned curriculum that promotes essential skills across the prime and specific areas of learning. Planning is purposeful and tailored to support children's individual development.
• Activities, such as painting, potion-making and using tongs at snack time, help to strengthen children's fine motor skills. Children enjoy a broad range of physical activities. Outdoors, they move energetically and skilfully, using equipment such as slides and balls.
• Family collaboration is embedded in the curriculum. For example, the garden project involved all families and children. The space supports children's understanding of the natural world and fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility. Children know their own plants and take care of them. They confidently explore textures and scents. Children develop their senses through real-life experiences, such as using herbs in the mixing kitchen.
• Children's interests shape the direction of the curriculum. For example, children's enquiries about ladybirds lead to topics where their initial fears were sensitively addressed through guided teaching and child-led enquiry. This resulted in sustained learning about insects and empathy for living things. Children remember that ladybirds come in many colours and have spots.
• Staff skilfully extend children's learning through play. During a storytelling session, staff use expressive voices and props to bring the story of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' to life. Children are highly engaged and remember characters and story elements. Staff weave in mathematical concepts, such as height and number.
• The environment supports children's independence through routines, such as self-registration and access to a water station. Environmental print and tools in the mud kitchen extend language and literacy opportunities while embedding real-life skills. Staff understand the diverse needs of children. For instance, they offer different creative materials, such as play dough, painting and colouring, to support children's early writing skills.
• Children who are disadvantaged or children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff work closely with specialist staff. They use strategies, such as small-group interventions and visual aids, to support children's communication and language development.
• Children are encouraged to problem-solve and show perseverance. Staff provide support with tasks, such as removing leaves from a toy toaster or putting on aprons. However, sometimes, they intervene too quickly, which removes opportunities for children to attempt these independently and build resilience.
• There is a strong and purposeful partnership with parents, who say that their children are happy and safe. They feel that their children are making excellent progress across all areas of development, especially in communication, confidence and social skills. They describe the setting as 'loving', 'homely' and 'very welcoming'.
• Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to children's learning and development. This is underpinned by effective tracking, high levels of parental engagement and a clear focus on staff development. Leadership is reflective and responsive, and leaders act on recommendations to drive continuous improvement.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to develop strategies to best support children's problem-solving skills and resilience.