Little Learners Pre-School (harrow)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and comfortable at the nursery. Children show trust towards adults and take pride in their own achievements.

Children have close, warm relationships with their key person, who understands their needs and likes. Children benefit from different adult-led learning opportunities but they also have freedom to learn independently at their chosen activities.Staff show clear intentions regarding what they would like children to learn.

Children receive rich vocabulary through their positive interactions with adults in planned activities. For example, staff and children discuss the notion of whole, half and qu...arters while exploring the vegetables. Children have opportunities to express themselves verbally and physically, as well as through art throughout the day.

Children develop strong social skills and positive attitudes towards others. They are proud of their achievements and like sharing these with others. For example, young children share their creation of play dough with adults.

Staff encourage children to communicate with each other in a gentle and kind manner. In return, children are calm in the environment and helpful to one another.Children behave well.

For example, they communicate with each other respectfully and clean up after themselves once their snack is finished. Children collaborate on tasks peacefully. They sweep the floor after messy play or help each other to prepare materials during junk modelling.

Staff praise children for their achievements and encourage children to be kind to one another.

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

Staff teach children the skills they need to be independent. Children independently choose different activities or resources according to their interests.

Older children prepare their snack, for example, by pouring milk into a cup and spreading butter on their bread. Staff also encourage young children to serve their own lunch and use their cutlery correctly during mealtimes. Children in the toddler and pre-school room know where to find their belongings and get themselves ready to go to the garden.

This helps children to develop decision-making skills and confidence.Leaders have a clear intent for what they would like children to achieve through the curriculum for communication and language. Staff provide new vocabulary in their interactions with children and scaffold on what they already know.

Children in pre-school room use a wide range of language confidently. For example, they describe the effects of rain by saying, 'Wet, slippery, soaking'. This helps children to communicate their ideas freely.

Staff know their key children well and they are able to explain children's progress and next steps confidently. There is a clear communication between staff in regards to the learning needs of their key children. This assures positive outcomes for all children and helps all children to make good progress.

Staff maintain good and open communication with parents. Parents receive regular feedback about children's achievements and learning needs. This supports the continuity of children's learning at home.

Leaders plan the curriculum for physical development well and children make progress in their physical skills. Children practise jumping and climbing as they use slides, see-saw and push along toys. Children develop skills to pinch and roll with their fingers while modelling play dough and practise pincer grips as they thread beads through a string.

This supports children's small-muscle development.Staff apply different strategies to involve quantities, counting and complex mathematical language in children's daily activities. For example, they introduce fractions through a role-play picnic.

This familiarises children with mathematical concepts effectively as they play.Leaders support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They demonstrate an effective partnership and continuous communication with other professionals to ensure children's additional needs are addressed.

They set achievable targets for these children and work together to ensure that staff use effective strategies. This helps all children to make good progress on their individual learning journeys.On occasion, staff do not create enough opportunities for high-quality, two-way interactions.

They do not always give younger children time to respond to what they say or follow children's lead to create opportunities for interaction successfully. At these times, children do not progress in their communication and language.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff demonstrate good knowledge of what to do if they have safeguarding concerns about a child. Leaders provide regular training and updates to staff on safeguarding procedures in the nursery. The manager keeps her own safeguarding knowledge up to date by attending local authority update meetings.

Leaders ensure that staff are suitable to work with children through rigorous recruitment processes. Staff ensure that children are well supervised at all times.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider how to support children to develop their communication and language skills at all times throughout the day.