What makes a Quality Setting?

[Guest]

I am currently in my Year 2 of the Foundation Degree and I am collating information on what makes a Quality setting and would love your input and opinions on this.

Those of you who have children in a preschool, nursery or with a childminder- would you mind answering a question for me?

"What in your mind makes a Quality setting?"

"What did you or do you look for when choosing a setting?"

[Helen]

I can answer your question but I don't have children in pre-school anymore! Does your target group have to be parents of pre-school children?

[Guest]

No thats fine - answer away please. Xxxx

[Helen]

OK!

The one thing I look for is how the staff and children chat together. Do the staff look like they're interested in what the children are saying? Do they ask questions that encourage children to extend their thinking and develop their language skills? Do staff give them enough time to answer without jumping in? Do the staff look happy to be there and that they love working with children? Are the babies and toddlers REALLY engaged or are they just being "looked after"? If you shut your eyes, does the sound of the room seem happy, busy and warm/secure?

 

Hope this helps :1b

[HappyMaz]

I'd add that I'd be looking to see if routines in the setting are there for the benefit of the adults or the children? Are children encouraged to make their own decisions and are they supported to become independent? If a child wants to make a model of a rocket ship but everyone else is painting flowers in a vase, can that child easily find what he or she needs to turn their plans into reality?

 

Also, I'd look at the artwork on the walls (but also look for evidence of children's mark making in other areas of the room). Can you see individuality in the displays or are there lots of pictures which look exactly the same? Is children's mark making given status and value within the setting - have they made their own role play signs for example?