Woodley Pre-School (Reading)

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted warmly by the nurturing staff team. They separate from their parents with ease and happily wave goodbye. Children know the routines well. They hang up their coats with enthusiasm, put away their lunch boxes and swiftly become absorbed in the learning opportunities staff provide. For example, children add water into different materials and explore changing textures. They eagerly scoop and transport sand and show good imagination as they build a volcano. Those children who prefer a quiet start to the day, enjoy looking at books and reading stories with staff.

The manager uses additional funding that children receive successfully to support each child's individual needs. Children who speak English as an additional language regularly hear their home language in their play and develop good communication skills. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make secure progress from their starting points.

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

• Since the last inspection, all members of the management committee have developed a full understanding of their roles and responsibilities. For example, they have completed the relevant suitability checks as required by Ofsted. The experienced and highly motivated manager continues to assess the pre-school for ongoing improvements. She regularly reflects on the setting to ensure that the children are accessing the full provision on offer. For example, following children's love of books, she has made books accessible in different areas of the setting. This has had a positive impact on children's early literacy skills.
• Staff accurately assess children's learning and regularly discuss their progress. They work well as a team and plan a curriculum that focuses on what children know and can do. For example, they engage children in discussion and model words clearly to help build on their speech and language skills. However, sometimes, there are inconsistencies in staff teaching. On occasion, some staff do not allow children time to follow through their own ideas to help build on their thinking and problem-solving skills even further.
• Staff support children's mathematical skills well. For example, children count the dots on dice and confidently move objects during board games. They manipulate play dough into different shapes, and show a growing understanding of size.
• Staff spend time talking to children. When children find it hard to share the resources, staff help them to consider how their peers might feel. Consequently, children learn about emotions and are building increasing levels of self-control. They show kindness and compassion to their friends and naturally give them a cuddle if they need a little reassurance.
• Parents comment that their children love attending the pre-school and they have made good progress since joining. They say that their children's social skills have increased, and they have made meaningful friendships. All parents know who their child's key person is. However, staff do not provide guidance to all parents to ensure that they know how to support their children's learning at home.
• Staff promote children's health and well-being effectively. They talk to children about the importance of eating healthy food and cleaning their teeth, particularly after eating sugary treats. Children manage their personal care needs well. They blow their noses and explain to the inspector why they need to wash their hands to remove the germs.
• Children who need additional support are skilfully supported in their learning. The special educational needs coordinator ensures that staff are aware of the strategies in place and how to use them. Consequently, staff can support children while they wait for outside agencies to make their assessments. For example, they use visual displays, picture cards and simple gestures to communicate with children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the support given to staff to ensure that they all offer children the same high-quality interactions to help challenge their critical thinking and problem-solving skills even further
• work more closely with all parents to share ideas to promote children's learning at home.