Woodley Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted on arrival by the warm and friendly staff. This helps children to separate confidently from parents. Staff actively promote children's well-being. If children are unsettled, or require extra support, they provide them with reassurance in the form of kind words and cuddles. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Children learn about the world around them. Staff are committed to teaching children about diversity and the local community. Children benefit from visitors to the setting, including petting farms and people from the community, such as doctors. They learn about healthy lifestyles, particularly good oral health, through visits from community health development workers, who are 'Healthy Heroes'. Children are supported well when moving on to school. The manager has developed strong links with local schools. Teachers are invited to visit the pre-school, and staff and children regularly visit the school. This helps children to build relationships with school staff before starting and provides continuity of care.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well. Staff quickly identify children who require extra help. They ensure that children are referred to other professionals in a timely manner. Children benefit from targeted support in the setting, which is tailored to their individual needs, such as speech and language groups. This helps children make good progress in their learning and development.

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

• The manager supports her team very well. She is committed to improving not only her own professional development but that of her staff. The staff benefit from regular appraisals and meetings. They receive mandatory training, such as safeguarding. Furthermore, there are opportunities for staff to develop their interests through relevant professional training courses. This helps to further enhance staff practice.
• The manager, leaders and staff consistently reflect on ways of enhancing the provision and have developed an action plan that identifies further ways the setting can improve over time. For example, local groups, such as 'Romsey Men's Shed', make resources for the pre-school's outdoor environment, including a tool bench. This supports children to experiment with a range of resources and learn to use them safely.
• Staff carefully sequence learning as they provide opportunities for children to learn about planting. Children demonstrate prior learning and knowledge as they plant lettuce seeds. Staff skilfully recap on prior learning and use open questioning techniques, designed to promote independent thinking. Children are articulate when explaining that plants need water and sun to grow. However, staff do not consistently capture learning opportunities that introduce mathematical language or concepts such as size and capacity to build on what children already know.
• Children are confident communicators and benefit from a language-rich environment. Staff promote language and communication very well. They model language effectively. During adult-led activities, staff introduce new words to children. For instance, during a planting activity, staff model new words such as 'seeds' and 'compost' to describe the planting process. This supports children to gain deeper knowledge of words and their meaning.
• Staff provide regular opportunities for children to access fresh air and exercise. Children show enjoyment as they run around the outdoor environment, They enthusiastically join in with group activities, such as washing toy cars. This helps them to develop gross and fine motor skills, using a variety of tools that staff have thoughtfully provided, such as different-sized brushes and sponges. Children enjoy playing in the mud kitchen. Staff are active participants in children's imaginative play.
• Overall, children behave well and show that they understand what is expected of them. They generally play well alongside and with each other. However, on some occasions, inconsistencies in how staff manage challenging behaviour lead to children being disruptive. For example, some children struggle with sharing and following instructions. This is not consistently challenged by all staff. As a result, children do not always understand behavioural expectations.
• Partnership with parents is a key strength of the pre-school. Staff share detailed information about what children are experiencing at the setting and what they want children to learn next. Parents are invited to events organised by leaders, such as fundraising for the pre-school. This helps parents to feel included and part of a community.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide children with a more consistent approach, and clearer explanations, to help them to manage their own feelings and behaviour and to understand the impact their behaviour has on others
• enhance the curriculum to further develop children's understanding of early mathematics.