Wollaton Park Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are well settled, and they receive warm interactions from attentive staff. Children demonstrate they are happy, safe and secure as they confidently explore their environment. They make their own choices about where they play and decide to play outdoors. When they find it tricky to put on their coats and hats, staff encourage them to keep trying until they manage it. Children jump and clap with excitement at their achievement and skip outside. They develop their physical skills, including coordination and balance, as staff guide them to complete an obstacle course. Staff support children to take managed risks as they jump off the equipment.

Children learn about the properties of ice as staff provide tools and help children to safely hammer and break the ice. Staff talk to the children about what they are doing to support their language and understanding. These strong interactions support children to become confident communicators. Children talk about their experiences while they play and use newly learned words such as 'frozen' and 'solid'.

Staff help children to learn and remember well-loved stories. Staff read enthusiastically, acting out the story. Children listen carefully, have fun with words and join in with the actions. They giggle with delight as they 'stomp' using their physical strength and 'squeal' while trying to hide from the imaginary bear in the story. They are developing vocabulary and an understanding of story structure.

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

• Staff support children to develop their understanding of mathematics. They introduce them to numbers during their play and routines. For example, children excitedly search for numbers hidden outdoors. Staff help children to match what they find to the written numerals on their clipboard. Children eagerly mark these as found. When children are ready to go indoors, staff and children count everyone in the group. Children are learning to recognise numbers and count.
• The manager works with the local authority officer to help her develop the pre-school provision. The new staff team reports that it feels well supported. Staff have one-to-one meetings with the manager to discuss aspects of their practice and training. However, the newly appointed manager has not yet identified gaps in staff's knowledge and teaching practice or areas for improvement.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language are given focused support throughout their time at the pre-school. Through regular and ongoing observations and tracking, staff recognise when children show delays in their development. They collaborate with parents and other professionals to ensure appropriate support plans are in place. This means that relevant learning is provided. Children make progress in their individual learning and development.
• Staff promote positive behaviour. They support children to share and care for their friends. For example, children cover their friends with a blanket when they are feeling cold. When they play with a tunnel, they carefully manoeuvre inside it to give their friend enough space to join them. Staff provide opportunities for children to learn and follow the pre-school rules. Children learn to wait for their friends to be ready and join them before they go outdoors for a large-group activity.
• Parents report that the staff collaborate closely with them and provide daily information about their child's learning. They appreciate the experiences the staff provide for their children and say these are helping them to be ready for school. They also appreciate receiving information to support their children's learning at home.
• Staff recognise the need for children to have a healthy lifestyle. Children play outdoors each day and run in the fresh air. Staff promote children's oral health. Children use toothbrushes in their play while staff talk about the importance of keeping teeth clean. The pre-school provides healthy snacks and supports parents to provide their children with healthy meals.
• Staff support children to develop the knowledge and skills they need. This helps to ensure that children benefit from what school eventually has to offer. Children express their needs. For example, when they are feeling tired and want a rest, they go to staff for reassurance and cuddles. Staff encourage children to develop their independence skills throughout their daily routines. Children help themselves to snacks, wash their hands and hang up their belongings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• monitor staff's practice more closely to identify weaknesses in their knowledge, teaching practice and areas for improvement.