Woodlands Preschool Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are relaxed and settled in this welcoming pre-school. They separate confidently from their parents and happily come into the pre-school chattering with their friends and eager to start the day. Children understand the routines of the pre-school. They hang up their coats, select their name for self-registration and sit together on a rug. They join in by saying 'good morning' to everybody and counting who is present. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are polite, making comments such as 'thank you for giving me more raisins'. They also demonstrate patience as they wait for their turn at snack time. Children speak confidently to adults and form secure and trusting relationships with their friends.

Children are fully engaged with the activities on offer. They play cooperatively in small groups and offer encouragement and support to their friends. For example, children work together to build a ramp using the wooden bricks. They hold it in place and take turns to roll their cars down the ramp. Children learn lots of new words. For example, they talk with excitement about the chicks which recently hatched in the pre-school, telling the inspector, 'I saw its little beak pecking on the egg'.

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

• Staff know the children and their families very well and speak with warmth and care about the children. They meet regularly to discuss the children's progress and to plan activities to support their next steps. When children join the pre-school, key workers assess their starting points and use this information to plan activities which will move children forward in their learning.
• Following the COVID-19 pandemic, staff were aware that children found it more difficult to separate from their parents. Staff put a range of support in place and worked in partnership with parents to help children feel more relaxed at drop-off time. This joint approach was very successful in improving children's confidence.
• Staff have a clear focus on preparing children for their transition to school. Children benefit from regular visits to the school next door to join in celebrations, such as Easter and Christmas. The Reception class teacher also visits the pre-school to read stories to them. This helps children to become familiar with their new teacher.
• Parents are hugely complimentary of the pre-school and staff. They enjoy receiving regular photos and videos of their children and comment that the staff are 'helpful and approachable - they do a brilliant job'. Parents value the staff and refer to them as 'like a family'.
• Children enjoy the range of activities at the pre-school, choosing what they want to play with in the well-organised space. They search enthusiastically for letters in a tray of coloured foam and politely serve pretend cakes and drinks to their friends. This helps to develop children's concentration, curiosity and early literacy skills.
• Although staff use children's interests as a basis for the activities they provide, activities sometimes lack a clear intention. Furthermore, children have limited opportunities to do things for themselves, such as cutting out their pictures. This means that children's knowledge and skills are not always effectively developed.
• Children have lots of fun playing and riding bikes in the outdoor space. They work together to set up an obstacle course, which demonstrates their cooperative skills. They go under and over the poles and challenge themselves to go higher or faster. These activities develop their physical skills well. Children also benefit from lots of outdoor learning. For example, they enjoyed a recent visit to a running track and have regular walks in the woodland area.
• Children are keen to point out photos of themselves cleaning their teeth at the pre-school. They wash their hands and choose from a range of fruits at snack time. Children also receive lots of praise from staff for remembering to cover their mouth when coughing. This means that children have a good understanding of how to be healthy.
• Children with any additional needs are well supported. The pre-school is proactive in seeking additional advice and guidance from outside agencies and sharing this information with parents. This helps to promote continuity in children's learning.
• Staff speak highly of the pre-school leaders and the positive support which they receive. They are encouraged to identify any gaps in their own professional skills or knowledge and training is planned to develop these areas accordingly. Newer staff are appreciative of the thorough induction and information which they received prior to starting their role.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to help them focus more sharply on the learning intentions of activities
• improve the curriculum to help further develop children's independence.