Abracadabra Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy the time they spend at pre-school. There is a strong sense of community, and staff work in close partnership with a range of services to ensure that all children and families receive the support they need to make good progress. Staff know children well and use the information they gather about children's prior learning and interests effectively to help them to settle.

Staff provide a range of activities and opportunities, both indoors and outdoors, that ignite children's interest. For example, the 'builders' yard' outside is a popular area, where children use their developing mathematical skills to measure and co...mpare the size of the walls they build to those of others. Children enjoy playing outside, particularly in 'Gruffalo Wood', where they dig, climb and travel along the zip wire with support.

Staff are kind and very nurturing, offering reassurance and cuddles when needed. Staff help children to understand when some behaviours are not wanted and to build their friendships effectively. Overall, staff are attentive to children's learning needs.

However, some staff do not consistently recognise opportunities to challenge children and extend their learning fully. Children are independent and are encouraged to try to do things for themselves. Staff give children time to 'have a go', particularly when putting on wellington boots and fastening coats, or when washing their hands after using the bathroom.

This helps to ensure that children have the self-help skills needed in preparation for school.

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

The experienced management team consults with parents and children when evaluating the success of the pre-school and planning future developments. It uses its knowledge of the local community to plan activities, such as gardening and trips to church, to enrich and enhance children's experiences.

Managers monitor staff closely and observe them in their role. They make suggestions as to how staff can improve their practice further and plan targeted training opportunities to help staff to develop their knowledge and skills. However, opportunities for staff to learn from each other, share their skills and expertise and raise the quality of teaching to the highest level, have not yet been developed.

Staff have a good understanding of what children need to learn next. Overall, staff recognise when further support may be needed to help children to develop and thrive. However, some staff do not consistently recognise opportunities to extend children's learning during play.

Staff give high priority to developing children's communication, social and physical skills. They successfully promote a love of books and reading. Staff share stories and encourage children to treat books with care.

They have introduced a very popular storybook lending library. Parents enthusiastically loan books to share with their children at home.Staff observe children as they play and accurately assess their learning.

They identify any gaps in children's learning and focus upon these, providing experiences that help children to make good progress. Additional funding is used effectively to provide the targeted resources and experiences some children require to thrive.Children learn to recognise numbers and to calculate.

They enjoy singing number rhymes and confidently compare the different quantities of dough, remarking on who has more and less when rolling dough into balls. Children play games and talk about who is first, second and third as they race outside.Staff provide a range of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks.

They discuss the importance of eating a healthy variety of food and remind children to wash their hands before they eat. Children have a good understanding of the effects of exercise on their bodies. They talk about how their breathing becomes quicker after they play football with 'Football Gary'.

Children are confident and have a good understanding of their daily routines. They play well together, sharing and taking turns. Staff offer their praise and encouragement, which children find highly motivating.

Staff care deeply about children's emotional well-being. They talk to children about how they are feeling and take steps to ensure that all children feel included.Parents speak very highly of the care and support families receive from staff at the pre-school.

They feel very well informed of their child's progress. Staff provide support with a range of developmental needs, such as toilet training, sleep routines and toothbrushing.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff can identify signs that would give them cause for concern about a child's welfare. They understand the procedures to follow to refer any concerns in order to ensure that children are protected from harm. Staff undertake safeguarding training and receive regular information updates to ensure their knowledge remains up to date.

Regular checks of the environment are undertaken to ensure that it is a safe place for children to play. Children are reminded of the importance of considering their own and each other's safety, especially when playing outdoors.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop further the monitoring arrangements for staff and provide systems for sharing best practice that raise teaching to an even higher level nenhance teaching skills and support staff to make better use of opportunities to extend and challenge children's learning as they play.