Alderbury Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are confident and happy.

They have a wide variety of activities to choose from that they enjoy. Children build roads out of sand, smoothing it out for toy trucks to travel over. They ask staff what foods they enjoy eating and use their imaginations to cook giant cheese sandwiches out of wooden blocks.

Staff encourage the use of creative language in children's play to support them in using new words. Younger children play with tactile resources such as cold, cooked and dry pasta, which they explore with fascination. They practice fine motor control skills as they thread dry spaghetti through the holes in coland...ers and sustain their concentration as they learn to use tools precisely, using tweezers to select strands of cooked pasta.

Children feel safe and secure. They play well with one another and learn to negotiate with other children with help from staff. Children who need quiet time sit in quiet, comfortable areas, such as the outdoor hut.

They snuggle into a beanbag and enjoy looking through their favourite book.

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

Leaders have a clear vision and provide a holistic curriculum. This ensures that children develop socially, learn to be part of a community, and learn the key skills they need to be confident and ready for their next stages of development.

Leaders have a strong knowledge of how activities support children's progress. They select resources with clear purpose to help children's learning as well as matching these to their interests.Leaders accurately evaluate the provision that they provide.

They regularly work with staff to establish what is working well and what they can improve. Leaders develop plans to enhance learning experiences for children. Staff share ideas with one another to improve their interactions with children.

Children benefit from consistent care throughout the provision.Staff plan specific activities to help enhance children's learning. For example, they teach children mathematical vocabulary by creating collage pictures of cars using pre-cut shapes.

Staff encourage children to name and compare the properties of different shapes. Children's misconceptions are quickly addressed, which helps them to make progress in early mathematical concepts.Staff engage children in stories well.

Children regularly enjoy looking through books throughout the day. Staff sit alongside children to share the books and read to them. They talk about the pictures and explain what unfamiliar words mean.

However, during established routine times, staff do not always make the most of opportunities to initiate conversations with children to help them practice communicating.Staff know individual children's needs in detail, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders make every effort to secure the specialised support that children require.

Staff provide children with a variety of learning experiences that help them catch up. However, occasionally, they do not always provide children with the targeted support they need to make even more progress.Staff have good expectations of children's behaviour.

They ask children to help tidy up, and the children respond positively and know where toys go. Staff guide them if they are not sure and manage minor disputes between children, encouraging them to work together. Children enjoy the responsibilities staff give them and take their jobs for the day seriously.

This gives them the opportunity to learn to cooperate successfully with others.Staff build strong attachments with children. They know children well and take the time to listen and understand their needs.

Children feel cared for and settle quickly if they become upset during the day.Leaders and staff have developed good partnerships with parents. They share what children learn during the day and make suggestions that may help them learn at home.

Parents speak highly of staff and the care they provide for their children. They notice children's improved manners when they use 'please' and 'thank you' at appropriate times.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a vigilant culture amongst staff to ensure that children are safe. Staff are knowledgeable about the potential signs of abuse and are confident who to report to if they have a concern. Staff receive training and support from leaders to be alert to the needs of all children in their care.

Staff monitor the environment, remove potential risks and make adaptations to equipment to ensure that it is suitable for children to play with. Leaders follow safer recruitment procedures and provide ongoing support for new members of staff.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend children's conversational vocabulary during routines of the day to help them practise using new words they have learned provide targeted support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that they close gaps in their learning even faster.

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