YMCA Sovereign Extended Pre-School and Y-Kids

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and parents are greeted warmly by staff who completely understand the ways in which each child settles best. They recognise when children need time to regulate their feelings. This enables all children to be ready for their learning day. Staff eagerly praise children for their achievements. For example, when a child drew a picture of a famous rabbit, staff explained this to the team, enabling praise to be heaped on the child. This increases children's self-esteem and confidence. The key-person system is effective, and staff know children in their key group well. They have a clear understanding of children's next steps, and they share this information with the team. This means that they can make effective use of their interactions with children.

Children learn to care for other living things. For example, they prepare food for the giant snail. They use a safety knife to cut vegetables, building small muscle and safety skills. Children develop good levels of independence. They get themselves ready for outdoor play and learn to use a method for putting on their coats that enables them to do this for themselves. They also learn about the environment and excitedly place their food wrappers in the recycling box. The manager and staff plan a highly effective and individualised learning environment and experiences for children. They base this on what children need to learn next, considering their developmental stages and the ways in which each child learns. This means that all children make good developmental progress.

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

• The manager is a highly effective role model for her staff. She understands how to assess practice and to make continual improvements. She exudes confidence in her ability and shows this through her effective teaching practice. This provides a basis for staff to mirror and improve their skills.
• There is a whole community and inclusive feel to the setting, with children learning about others and kindness. For example, children bring items for the food bank, showing a clear awareness of their local community.
• There is a culture of effective well-being in the organisation. Staff receive very good levels of support from the manager. Staff explain how it is the efforts of the manager that enable them to seek the right training for everyone. One staff member expressed that the staff were a 'solid team'.
• Staff use 'now and next' boards to help children understand daily routines. However, when staff make changes to the routines, they are not always aware of the best ways to support children. For example, at lunchtime, staff moved around the room and children then copied. This does not support children's social skills and understanding of safe table manners even further.
• Children use an instant camera to photograph their creations. They understand how to use the technology and the process of waiting to see the image appear. This increases children's awareness of technology and how things work, and also enhances their sense of pride and achievement.
• Staff receive effective training to support their practice. For example, staff new to caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities attend courses that the manager sources to increase their knowledge. This enables them to understand and meet the individual needs of children.
• Children thoroughly engross themselves in story sessions. They vote for their favourite book and readily await their story and props from the sack. They show clear learning through retelling the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. This enhances children's communication and literacy skills.
• Occasionally, staff are not aware of the need to support their colleagues to enable children to concentrate and remain engaged in activities. This means that, sometimes, children have to wait for long periods and lose focus.
• Relationships between staff and parents are excellent. Parents comment about the pre-school being the best in their experience and about how 'amazing' the staff are. They state that they see great improvement in their children's learning and development. They attribute this to the staff's knowledge and practice in providing effective teaching and learning experiences.
• Staff seek support for children and families through a holistic approach. They have a wealth of avenues to enable them to gain the expertise they need to aid children and families. There are effective relationships with others involved in children's learning, such as key persons at other early years settings.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on staff's awareness of the routines surrounding mealtimes to strengthen children's social skills and awareness of safe table manners
• strengthen support for children during certain planned activities to enhance their engagement and concentration skills.