Wingle-Tye Pre-School Ltd 2

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and are eager to start their day at the pre-school. They demonstrate growing confidence. Staff support children with their behaviour, such as by reminding them of the pre-school's rules. For example, they encourage children to share the bicycles in the garden. Children are polite and wait their turn during conversations. Staff model the behaviour they expect and say please and thank you. Children develop good levels of independence. Staff encourage them to put on their coats and shoes when going outside, and children help to set the tables at mealtimes.

Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents talk about the supportive and caring environment, and how staff have helped their children to become more confident. The curriculum is varied and sequential, and builds on what children already know, For example, staff teach children about the roles of emergency service workers. Children learn that doctors help people to get better, such as by giving them medicine or injections. During role play, children act out taking their blood pressure and listening to their heartbeats. They learn new words, such as 'stethoscope', and can name the bones in the body.

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

• The provider and manager are committed and lead the staff team well. They have a clear intent for children's learning and ensure that the curriculum provides children with many opportunities to learn new skills. Staff have regular opportunities to build on their own skills, through effective and supportive supervision sessions. This helps to develop staff's knowledge and promotes the continuous improvement of the pre-school. Staff receive good levels of support from senior staff, which helps them feel valued.
• Staff recognise the importance of children being able to communicate well. They model speech effectively and take the time needed to encourage children to share their ideas and thoughts as they play. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported by staff. Staff support children well for their upcoming move to school. For example, staff provide specific group sessions to help older children to learn mathematical concepts and early literacy skills.
• Staff provide support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to help them to make good progress. They prioritise using funding effectively to provide children with one-to-one support. Staff are gentle and warm in their interactions with children. They liaise with a range of external agencies, settings and schools to ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning journey.
• Staff are very good role models and genuinely enjoy spending their day with children. They teach children the daily routines and children quickly follow their lead to accomplish tasks. For example, children enter the pre-school and go and hang their coats and place their lunch bags on the trolley before gathering on the carpet for group time. Children are confident in their daily routines, which helps them to feel secure.
• Children learn about healthy lifestyles, such as through a range of opportunities for physically active play, inside and outside. They discover and explore their skills when riding bicycles on a track. Staff give parents advice on providing healthy packed lunches for their children. During children's play, staff teach them about safety, for example they discuss using a car seat when in the car.
• Staff are well deployed in the pre-school and ensure that they spend their time supporting children as they play. They have a secure understanding of child development and know how to plan for children's next steps in learning. However, occasionally, they plan some creative experiences which do not allow children opportunities to freely explore materials.
• Overall, staff suitably support children from when they start attending the nursery. There are consistent staff and staff spend time with children, playing alongside them and offering comfort. This helps children to develop positive relationships with staff. However, at times, the systems for key persons sharing information, which has been gathered from parents, about children with other staff are not clear. This can lead to other staff not being aware of children's specific needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop children's creative experiences further so that they can express their own ideas
• strengthen the processes for sharing information, which is gathered from parents, among the staff team.