Worplesdon Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly and feel secure in this warm, friendly and caring environment. They show that they enjoy their time at pre-school. For example, they smile, giggle and talk excitedly with staff and other children about their day. Children separate confidently from parents and carers. They show positive attitudes to their learning and make good progress. Staff skilfully organise the environment to promote children's natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. Children benefit from a good range of experiences, which prepare them well for their future success. With the support and encouragement of staff, they dress and wash dolls and have a go at feeding them with spoons. Older children develop their physical skills well during outside play. For example, they handle real hammers and hammer in nails to wood. Children pour using teapots and make magic potions, they dig holes skilfully and confidently climb around an obstacle course.

Staff are positive role models and reinforce their expectations of children's behaviour very well. They use a fair and gentle approach. For example, staff talk to children about how to solve disagreements and explain about emotions. As a result, children are well behaved and follow the pre-school routine. Staff recognise children's efforts and offer lots of praise when they succeed. Children respond to this positive reinforcement well. This helps to boost children's confidence and self-esteem.

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

• Staff strive to create a fully inclusive setting. They learn about diversity with the children. For example, staff read a range of stories, learn about festivals that are relevant to the children and provide varied resources. Staff work hard to help children celebrate each person's unique qualities through regular discussions while out and about in the community and as they play.
• The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, is a strength of the pre-school. Staff quickly identify children who need additional support. They work effectively with parents and other professionals to put targeted strategies in place, tailored to children's needs and preferences. Staff use key words in children's home languages as they play games and sing songs together. As a result, children feel included and make good progress in their learning and development.
• Children develop good communication and language skills. Staff engage in conversation with children as they play, introducing new words to increase their vocabulary. For example, staff introduce the words 'aquarium' and 'swordfish', as children excitedly try to catch 'toy' fish in the water tray. However, on occasion, staff do not recognise good opportunities that arise to intervene to extend older children's thinking skills as they become absorbed in their play.
• Staff provide plenty of exciting opportunities to learn about the community in which they live, and take part in local events, such as decorating garden pots for the village display competition and taking part in art activities at the local art gallery. Children go on trips to the local field and the post box to post letters. Children learn how to interact with others and develop their social skills in preparation for school.
• Children develop a good understanding of mathematical concepts. For example, children learn the meaning of mathematical language, such as 'full' and 'empty', as they play with soil and containers. In addition, children are encouraged to count. For instance, children count their height on measuring charts and learn to recognise numbers.
• Managers evaluate the provision effectively. They carry out supervision sessions with staff and check in on their well-being in regular team meetings. Staff are supported to use resources, such as articles and quizzes, to support their ongoing professional development.
• Staff are effective at keeping the children safe while they use and watch electronic devices at pre-school. However, the managers and staff have not fully considered how to help children develop an age-appropriate understanding of the risks of using digital technology, and where to get support if they need it.
• Partnership with parents is effective. Staff build strong relationships with families and children. Parents appreciate the daily verbal feedback about their children's day at the setting, weekly photos and the activities given to them to support children's learning at home. Staff ask parents about children's interests and development when they start and discuss parents' aspirations for children. This promotes a joint approach to children's learning.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• teach children how to keep themselves safe while using digital devices
• support staff to identify when opportunities arise to build on older children's interest in activities to extend their learning further.