Wonder Years Preschool, Afterschool And Holiday Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy and eager to play. They are secure and settled, and have strong relationships with each other and staff. Children predict sequences because they know the setting's routines. They know when they arrive they are offered a nutritious breakfast. They sit around the table with their friends and make choices about what they want to eat. Children enjoy listening to stories and can remember what happens. They are familiar with the story of 'Three Little Pigs' and they create their own pictures of the houses the pigs build. They learn that the moral of the story is that hard work pays off. Children develop their vocabulary and understand instructions as they are told to put their shoes on to play outside. Children who speak English as an additional language quickly learn to speak it well.

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

• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work closely with parents and external professionals to develop effective strategies to help children make good progress.
• Leaders use additional funding well to support all children who attend the setting. Children enjoy interactive dance and music sessions, extra hours at the setting and visits to play spaces, which help inspire their curiosity and imagination.
• Staff provide a well-resourced learning space for children at the setting. They plan the curriculum well, so that children make progress in their language, physical, and personal, social and emotional development. This also supports children to prepare for their future success.
• Staff ensure that the environment is fit for purpose, inviting and stimulating for children. However, staff have not consistently maintained high levels of hygiene as some areas of the setting are cluttered and dirty.
• Leaders support staff well to improve their ongoing practice, and staff attend various training courses. Staff take part in regular supervision meetings. However, staff do not consistently use learning opportunities to reinforce and consolidate children's learning across all areas.
• Children explore play dough and enjoy making different shapes, stretching and moulding the dough. Staff encourage children to find different twigs outside to add to the play dough to link to the story of the three pigs building their homes. Therefore, staff sequence learning so that children make the most of their understanding of stories.
• Staff encourage children to learn about each others' backgrounds. For instance, shared culture is promoted well and children's photos are attached to displays of their family's homeland.
• Partnership with parents is effective. Parents speak highly of staff and are happy with their child's progress. Staff keep parents informed about the curriculum and their child's next steps in learning. Parents acknowledge that the updates via a mobile app are very informative and share information instantly. They like the shared photographs and explanations about what the intent and outcome for learning is.
• Children are well behaved. They share and take turns and follow instructions. They are confident, and can express how they feel and ask for what they want.
• Children use the toilet independently and understand hygiene routines. They are building skills for their eventual move on to school.
• Leaders have addressed weaknesses from the previous inspection and have a clear plan for improvement. They have reviewed how to meet the changing needs of children and staff have completed training so they can better support children with additional needs.
• Staff follow children's interests. For example, they place small underwater animal toys in water containers to help children express their emotions and communicate through play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure that all areas of the environment are consistently tidy and hygienic.
• continue to support staff's ongoing practice, so that they can help children to deepen and consolidate their progress across the areas of learning.