Wrawby Under 5's Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are motivated to explore the range of high-quality resources, inside and outside. Staff are always ready to interact with the children to support their learning and care needs. Children form strong emotional bonds with their key person, which nurtures their self-esteem and confidence. Staff know all children very well. They work closely together to ensure that children thrive in their care. Children are happy and demonstrate much eagerness to learn. Leaders know that the COVID-19 pandemic may have hindered children's development. They place a high priority on working with parents to help children to catch up with their learning.

Children behave very well. They show good levels of cooperation with each other and staff. Children learn to complete many tasks independently. For example, they wipe down wet equipment so that they can use it safely. Children know that there are key times during the day when they need to tidy away the toys and are always willing to participate. Staff plan daily story times that children obviously relish. They read to children in a way that fully engages them. Children are keen to share their ideas, for example to predict how a story might end.

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

• Staff establish strong partnerships with parents. There are successful two-way lines of communication between home and staff. Parents say that their children love coming to pre-school. They describe how their children make excellent progress, especially in their language and social skills. Parents are full of praise for the friendly and dedicated staff team.
• Staff are very vigilant in supporting children's well-being. During the inspection, children uncovered worms and spiders while digging in soil. Staff observed that some children were a bit scared. They spent time reassuring children and showed them how to put the animals back carefully. Children were then able to continue exploring the soil with confidence
• Children enjoy their time outdoors. They have plenty of space to be physically active. Children learn to handle tools safely and with control. They develop the strength and stability that they require to support their physical development.
• Leaders want the best for all children and their families. They ensure that staff's well-being and professional development are a priority. The staff work extremely well together. They consistently demonstrate much interest in what children do and say, and are very responsive. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities get the additional support they need promptly. Children achieve well over time.
• The curriculum is generally well planned and builds logically on what children know. Very occasionally, leaders are not sharply focused on exactly what they want children to learn. At these times, a lot of information is presented to children for them to process. This means that some children find it difficult to fully engage and they lose interest.
• Children show a good understanding of mathematical concepts. Staff expertly introduce numbers and shapes into children's play. Children count with confidence and begin to recognise numerals. They find a 'big wooden spoon' and discover that a spider has eight legs. Children learn the relevance of mathematics as part of their everyday experiences.
• Staff plan many opportunities to enrich children's vocabulary. They link activities together. For example, after making pancakes, staff read a story about a pancake so that children hear the same words in different contexts. While listening to the story, children recall words which they learned, such as 'sizzles' and 'turns golden'. They build up strong language skills over time and are confident to share their thoughts and ideas.
• The pre-school has excellent links with the school on site. As children prepare to move on to school, the two settings work closely together to ensure a successful transition. This helps children to get off to a flying start as they move on to new and exciting challenges in school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the planning and delivery of the curriculum to maximise the learning opportunities for all children consistently.