Arden Grove Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Weaknesses in the leadership and management means that Ofsted have not received the necessary information to carry out checks on all committee members.

However, they do not have unsupervised contact with children or have sole responsibility in making decisions that affects children's well-being. Staff greet children and families with genuine warmth and affection as they arrive at this community pre-school. They work diligently to provide a very harmonious and purposeful atmosphere where children feel safe, settle quickly and soon become deeply involved in their self-directed play.

Staff deliver a curriculum that teaches c...hildren how to cooperate and take turns. Children happily discuss with their friends their plans for playing with toys such as the train track. When they disagree or accidently upset each other, children use the skills that they have learned to resolve their difficulties and continue happily with their play.

Children have constant access to the large, excellently equipped outdoor area, playing and exploring in all weathers. They enjoy spending time in the outdoors with children and teachers from the on-site school nursery, which helps prepare them for further transitions, including to school.Staff are very attentive and make careful assessments of what each individual child needs to progress.

When children need additional support, staff work diligently with parents and others to ensure that children receive the help they need to continuously grow in confidence and skills. All children make progress and become engaged, curious learners.

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

The provider has not ensured that Ofsted have been provided with all the necessary information to complete the required suitability checks on all members of the governing body.

Although this is a breach of requirements, the impact on children's well-being is negligible because they do not have unsupervised access to children.Staff well-being is high. New staff receive supportive induction that enables them to become familiar with the provider's curriculum intention and confident in their role.

The provider implements effective supervision and regular monitoring of staff, through measures such as peer-on-peer observations. Staff state that they find these, and regular team discussions, valuable for improving teaching skills and creating a mutually supportive team.Children benefit from many opportunities to develop their physical skills.

They carry and climb on crates to pour water down the water wall, they cut and butter their toast and develop their ball skills through shared games. They develop excellent control of their bodies in preparation for later activities such as sport and writing.Parents say how impressed that they are with the lengths that staff go to to help to settle their children.

They feel very well informed as staff use a variety of methods to involve them in their children's learning. Where children attend other childcare settings, staff strive to work with them to share important information about children. Staff share what they know about their key children and implement common strategies that ensure children consistently receive the support that they need to settle and progress.

This ensures a consistent approach to children's development.Staff foster a love of words and stories. They read frequently to children, drawing their attention to pictures and stories.

They help children to consider what characters are thinking and feeling. Children frequently pick up books to read independently and gleefully practice any new words that they have heard as they play. Staff's questioning of children is sensitive and encourages them to express their opinions.

Children quickly develop in confidence to communicate their ideas, wants and needs.Staff carefully plan routines, such as snack time, to enhance children's independence. They focus successfully on this area of children's learning.

Planning and deployment of staff at these times does not successfully extend learning to build on children's conversations or help them notice the mathematical shapes they make when cutting their toast.Staff regularly introduce new and interesting activities, such as exploring the inside and outside of pumpkins. They are keen to expose children to a wide range of experiences.

Sometimes, they do not fully consider how to introduce these experiences or use them to deliver the curriculum intentions. This results in children occasionally becoming unusually unfocused and disruptive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure that Ofsted is provided with all the necessary information to enable them to carry out the required suitability checks on all members of the governing body.29/11/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to develop regular activities in order to build on children's knowledge and understanding across the curriculum help staff to plan the introduction of new activities and experiences in order to enhance children's focus, engagement and learning.

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