Winford Village Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive eager to start their day. They hang up their own coats and bags and move confidently into activities that staff have prepared. Staff greet children warmly, and this helps them settle quickly. Children know routines well and show that they feel safe and secure in the care of adults who know them very well. Staff respond quickly to children who need reassurance, and new children benefit from calm and consistent support to help them build confidence.

Children behave well due to staff's clear expectations and consistent approach. They play kindly with their friends and show care for one another, developing strong relationships built on trust. Through play and staff's modelling, children learn to share, take turns and cooperate with others. Children listen carefully to one another and to adults, contributing their own ideas and recognising that their voices and feelings are valued in the group.

Leaders construct a curriculum that is ambitious and tailored to children's needs and interests. They plan experiences that build on prior learning and prepare children for school and later life. All children make good progress from their starting points. Children become increasingly independent. They serve their own snacks, pour their drinks and choose whether to play indoors or outdoors. Staff encourage children to manage their own self-care, such as toileting and putting on shoes, but remain nearby to give reassurance when needed. As a result, children develop resilience and confidence and enjoy exploring the wide range of learning opportunities available to them.

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

• Staff evaluate the curriculum continuously, observing how children respond and identifying areas to adapt. For example, learning spaces are changed when children engage differently than anticipated, ensuring that the provision supports exploration, independence and skill development. Leaders reflect on the quality of teaching and use this information to refine activities, making sure all children access high-quality experiences and learning.
• Staff interact skilfully with children. They listen carefully and adapt questioning to match each child's level of confidence, celebrating every contribution. This ensures that all children, including those who are less confident, make progress. For example, when children explore the sand tray, they use containers to make castles and create handprints and shoe prints. Staff introduce mathematical learning by discussing the number of fingers on each hand and comparing the patterns made by different shoes.
• Staff promote children's personal development very effectively. Staff model positive conversations so that mealtimes are sociable and enjoyable. Staff engage in meaningful discussions during mealtimes to support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles, such as the benefits of nutritious foods and good hygiene. As a result, children make informed choices about what they eat and develop positive attitudes towards healthy living.
• Children develop physical skills and confidence through a range of challenging and purposeful activities. They access climbing bars and outdoor equipment, learning to balance, coordinate and judge risks safely. Staff encourage children to persevere when tasks are difficult, supporting them to try new movements and use their bodies effectively. Through these experiences, children develop resilience, strength and confidence, while learning to play safely with peers.
• Leaders invest in staff's development. Staff access a wide range of training, including working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language. They share learning with colleagues and apply new strategies to support children effectively. This ensures that all children, including those with SEND, make progress.
• Staff link activities to children's interests. For example, following children's interests in fossils, they plan a creative activity to spark curiosity and embed new knowledge. Staff extend learning by introducing new vocabulary and concepts, supporting children to become confident speakers and thinkers. However, occasionally, group activities do not sustain all children's attention. Some children wait too long for their turn or see only parts of the process. As a result, a few children lose focus and gain less from the learning opportunity than they could.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents describe the setting as welcoming and supportive. Staff communicate with parents through an online app, meetings and daily conversations. Parents are encouraged to take home the available book bags and stories. However, staff do not always share children's next steps in learning so that parents can continue to support these at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to review the planning of group activities to ensure that children remain fully engaged and provided with further challenge
• further strengthen processes for sharing information with parents about their children's development to help parents to extend children's learning at home.