YMCA Taunton Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish and enjoy their experiences at this welcoming and friendly pre-school. Staff know the children incredibly well and interact with them in a kind and caring manner, supporting and encouraging them in their learning. As a result, children are happy and confident, showing high levels of self-esteem.

Staff implement a well-thought-out curriculum, which continuously builds on what children already know and need to learn next. Children gain good independence to do things for themselves. For example, staff encourage them to open their own lunch boxes and packages. Children put on their coats with little help from staff, ready to play outside. They learn to manage their behaviour and be kind to others. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning. Staff have high expectations for all children. Children have very close attachments with their key person and staff. This helps them to settle quickly and have the confidence to explore their environment.

Staff work well with parents and share information to ensure that they meet the needs of the children effectively. Parents report very positively on the excellent communication and the support and guidance they receive from staff, to ensure their children meet their full potential. These secure relationships with parents have a positive impact on children's well-being.

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

• Children develop good communication and language because staff engage them in conversation and extend their vocabulary. Staff share children's individual books with pictures of people who are special to them, to aid discussion and help children feel secure. Staff use sign language with the children. This helps those children who find it more difficult to communicate verbally express themselves. Children converse in sign language with one another. For example, using the sign for washing hands or eating.
• Children benefit from targeted teaching that engages them well. Children organise a game naming and balancing dinosaur figures one on top of the other. Staff use these spontaneous opportunities successfully. They look at books to capture children's interest further and provide them with additional facts about the habitats and diets of the dinosaurs. This builds on children's knowledge effectively.
• Children count and compare sizes, which supports their mathematical understanding. Staff provide opportunities for children to be independent, confident, and socially able to get them school ready.
• Children feel secure in the familiar routines and understand the expectations from staff. Sometimes, however large-group times do not work as well as they could to ensure that children focus more and benefit fully from these learning experiences.
• The provider supports the manager and staff to extend their skills. Staff attend training that enhances their knowledge and interactions with children. Consequently, this has enhanced the provision for children with SEND to incorporate ideas, such as 'bucket time', to develop children's listening and understanding. The key person and special educational needs coordinator ( SENDCo) work very well with other professionals and parents to ensure that any gaps in children's learning are closed quickly.
• Children have many meaningful and purposeful opportunities to learn outside. They thoroughly enjoy forest school time, where they learn new skills such as how to whittle sticks using different tools. Staff skilfully capture children's imagination, providing clear instructions, so that they are completely engaged and learn about using knives safely in a fun and creative way. They confidently take risks as they carefully climb the climbing frame and jump down, landing on two feet. They skilfully bounce and catch a tennis ball. This helps them to develop good hand-eye coordination and become physically capable.
• Staff are positive role models and are sensitive and kind in their approach. This helps children to learn good behaviours and develop respectful relationship with others.
• Self-evaluation is successful in bringing about change. The manager and staff are reflective practitioners, constantly reviewing the curriculum and developing new ideas to enhance children's enjoyment. For example, children regularly review footage captured on the wildlife camera in the outside area. They make bird feeders and overturn logs in search for bugs in the garden as they learn about birds and insects.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• make better use of group times, to help children focus more and benefit fully from the learning experiences provided.