Worstead Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children settle quickly and feel secure in the warm, friendly environment. They establish strong bonds with the pre-school staff, who provide routines that are familiar to children. This helps children to settle successfully. Children benefit from an effective key-person system, which helps to promote the best outcomes for each child. Staff have warm, happy relationships with children. They take time to find out about each child's likes and dislikes. They provide activities that follow their interests, which results in happy, eager children who are ready to learn.

Children have a positive attitude towards their learning. They develop their independence and feel secure to ask for help when they need it. Children develop independence in all parts of the routine. For example, they find their own coats and learn how to dress themselves. They take part in an oral health programme and practise brushing their teeth daily. Children take part in regular yoga sessions. The children strive to sit up straight, quietly waiting for the session to begin. They practise their listening skills. Children enjoy being aware of their bodies while stretching and trying new poses. Staff embrace the yoga with the children, recognising the importance of children's well-being and enjoying a sense of peace as a group.

Children show consideration for each other and for the staff and visitors. Their behaviour is very good. Staff are positive role models who have high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff speak calmly and gently to children who need support. They implement effective behaviour management strategies. This supports children to have a good understanding of right and wrong.

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

• Staff make effective use of individual settling-in arrangements. This helps to build strong relationships with parents and children. Staff gather information to plan familiar and favourite activities. This helps the children to settle and separate from their parents with confidence.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. It builds on what children already know and can do. Children learn useful skills in preparation for school and their future learning. Staff consider children's progress regularly. They use this information to ensure that children are challenged. All children make good progress and show positive attitudes towards their learning.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to be active. They run, climb and balance in the pre-school garden. They explore the surrounding field, making the most of the wider space available to them. This helps them to develop their physical skills, spatial awareness and coordination.
• Children enjoy frequent forest school outings. This has led to a fascination of minibeasts while exploring the mud. Staff follow children's interests to extend the opportunities for learning. Staff are skilful and confident and have meaningful conversations with children to build on their learning.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They are confident in planning effective and appropriate next steps. They work in partnership with other professionals. This ensures that children receive good support to help them catch up with their peers.
• Parents speak highly of the staff. They receive regular feedback about their children's learning and progress. The leadership team uses a range of communication methods. This includes face-to-face meetings, online apps, individual communication books and newsletters. Parents say that they appreciate the parenting support they have received when requested. This has helped to support their children's learning and behaviour at home.
• The manager reflects on staff practice. She evaluates the pre-school to ensure that the continuous improvements benefit children's learning. The manager has a clear understanding of staff's strengths and areas for development. Staff share skills to ensure that all staff learn from any training accessed.
• The manager seeks parents' views. When appropriate, she makes changes in line with parents' requests. Recently, the session hours have extended to better support working parents. This has resulted in more younger children attending longer sessions. Some of these children need a rest or sleep. Yet, due to being a one-room space, children trying to rest are disturbed by other children. This results in children not having the rest they need. This has the potential to affect their ability to engage purposefully in activities throughout the rest of the day.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• consider the impact on all children when making changes to the provision, to ensure that all their needs can be met.