Barkham Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children receive a warm welcome from staff when they arrive at the pre-school.

They confidently say goodbye to parents and manage their personal belongings. For example, they place their lunch box from home on the trolley independently. Children quickly settle at their chosen activity.

Those that need a little help receive a reassuring cuddle. This helps them to feel safe and secure and supports their well-being. Children form strong attachments with staff.

For example, in the garden, children have fun with staff as they excitedly throw hoops onto an antler hat. This delights the children and supports higher l...evels of engagement and interaction.Children develop good social skills.

For example, they chat together at mealtimes, comparing the contents of their sandwiches. They help each other by picking up a toy that another has dropped. Children behave well.

They learn how to share and take turns with popular resources. Overall, staff have high expectations for each child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children who are learning to speak English as an additional language make good progress in communication.

Children have a positive attitude to learning. They are curious and test their ideas. For example, staff know the children's interests well and provide a range of vehicles that children enjoy pushing across the floor.

Children observe the speed and comment on the car's performance and distance travelled.

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

Staff develop children's love of books and stories. Staff and children snuggle up with a book outside on a blanket.

They enjoy a wide range of books inside in the reading den. Staff make very good use of pictures and interactive features to develop children's understanding. For example, staff point out the numerals on the clock face in the book as children move the hands to match the story.

Children are attentive and engaged as they practice familiar Christmas songs. Children remember the words and are confident to join in the actions.Staff follow effective procedures to manage children's allergies.

However, at times, during some routine activities and mealtimes, staff do not recognise the spontaneous opportunities which arise to challenge children's skills, thinking and learning even further.Staff use mathematical language as children play with dried pasta. They ask children if their pots are 'full' or whether they need 'more'.

Staff encourage children to make simple mathematical calculations. For example, children count how many hoops they have thrown, and how many they have left to throw.Children are beginning to manage their personal needs.

They take themselves to the toilet and know where to find tissues to wipe their noses. They wash their hands independently. After lunch, they wipe their faces.

Children understand the routines of the pre-school. When children hear the music for tidy-up time, they help to put toys away. They readily join others on the mat for stories and songs.

Children strengthen their fine motor skills using play dough to make tree decorations. They explore the dough, describing it as 'sticky and gooey, like peanut butter'. Staff provide appropriate tools for the children and demonstrate their use well.

However, staff have not considered ways to maximise their play and help reduce waiting times before children can engage in their learning.Parents love the family feel of the pre-school. They comment that they know what the children are learning in the pre-school and have noticed progress at home.

Parents are very happy with the communication they receive from leaders and staff. They feel well informed about their child's development through informal discussions and formal meetings. Staff know the children well.

They identify children's learning needs and share these with parents and the rest of the team.All staff are well supported by leaders. Staff feel able to share ideas with leaders and are confident to ask their colleagues questions.

Leaders attend network meetings to keep up to date with safeguarding and SEND procedures. Leaders have made improvements to the pre-school garden since the last inspection and have increased security and accessibility for children. Leaders have a clear vision for future developments at the pre-school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are alert to the signs and symptoms of neglect and abuse. They know how to record concerns and who to inform, both in the setting and outside agencies.

There are procedures for recording and reporting children's injuries. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to be vigilant about radicalisation. They know what to do if they have concerns about a staff member's behaviour towards children.

Leaders maintain their knowledge through local network safeguarding meetings. The pre-school uses risk assessment effectively to identify and mitigate hazards to children's health, safety and security.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider the delivery and pace of activities to encourage children to be more actively involved in their learning support staff in recognising the rich and spontaneous opportunities which arise during snack and mealtimes to challenge children's thinking and learning even further.