Greenhill Pre-school

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and safe in the setting. They smile as they play and engage with their friends. The caring staff build effective relationships with them and place a high importance on getting to know children well.

They use their good knowledge of each child's needs to help children feel welcome and develop a sense of belonging. Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, at snack time, they enable children to select their own snack and to use a water container to serve themselves a drink of water.

Staff have high expectations of what children are able to achieve and carefully design children's activiti...es based on things that children are interested in. Children demonstrate good levels of concentration and positive attitudes to learning as they engage in the experiences that staff provide for them. For example, children enjoy water play.

They squeeze lemons and oranges into their water and carefully pour from one pot to another. Children are growing in confidence and they make choices about where they want to play. They are supported by staff who reinforce respectful behaviour throughout the routines.

Children use their manners and are courteous to each other.

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

The curriculum for mathematics is well embedded. Staff play games which help children to develop their understanding of number.

For example, they encourage children to count the number of spots on the dice. Children are learning how to say one number for each item in order.Partnership with parents is good.

Staff build strong relationships, which helps parents to share information. They make good use of what they know, to provide individualised support. This helps to meet each child's care and learning needs.

Parents are very complimentary about the nursery and praise the positive relationships established between staff and children.Staff promote children's physical development well. They help children to take risks and learn about how to keep themselves safe.

For example, staff create challenging opportunities for children where they climb and think about the risks they are taking. This also helps children to develop their resilience as they keep on trying.Staff give children lots of explanations about how things work and operate.

For example, they explain to children how to use pencil sharpeners and how children can keep themselves safe while doing so. This helps to build children's understanding of how to use equipment. However, there are occasions when staff are too quick to do things for children and they do not always give children enough time to think of solutions.

This limits the opportunities for children to think for themselves.Leaders think carefully about the intent of the curriculum, considering the knowledge and skills they want children to have. For example, they know that some children need help to develop their social skills.

Leaders make sure children play games and spend lots of time working and playing together. This helps children to be ready to progress on to their next stage of learning.Staff offer children lots of praise and encouragement and help them to build good levels of self-esteem.

This supports children to develop positive behaviours and attitudes to learning. However, staff do not adapt their communication methods when needed. This means that children who may need a little extra help do not always clearly understand what is expected of them.

Children enjoy play in the well-resourced outdoor area on a daily basis. They also engage in indoor physical activities, such as dance sessions. These types of activities support the development of children's large-muscle movements.

Additionally, the regular fresh air and physical exercise positively contribute to a healthy lifestyle.Members of the small team work together effectively to identify ways in which they can keep improving their practice. They access regular training and improve what they offer children as a result of what they learn.

For example, after attending specific training relating to communication and language, they undertook assessments on children's communication and language skills. This has helped them understand how to intervene quickly when children are at risk of falling behind.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff undertake regular safeguarding training so that they can keep their knowledge of safeguarding practice up to date. Staff have a good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse and they know what to do if a concern arises about a child in their care. There are effective recruitment processes in place to minimise the risk of the adults working with the children.

Staff create a safe environment for children to play in. For example, they lock doors and gates at relevant times to prevent unauthorised people accessing children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's knowledge, skills and practice in order to enhance and develop children's thinking skills nadapt communication methods so that children, in particular those who need extra help, are clear on the behaviours that are expected of them.