Branston Little Pickles Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children independently select their chosen activity from the thoughtfully planned, varied and well-presented resources. They explore real fruit and salad, chopping aubergine to make a concoction. This contributes to developing their fine-motor skills.

Dressing up is a popular play choice; children wear adult shoes and carry handbags. There is a strong emphasis placed on developing children's imagination. Children of all ages develop a love of reading and enjoy a wide range of books.

They select books independently, and listen to staff as they enthusiastically read a story. Children join in with familiar words and phras...es, and they enjoy action songs and rhymes.Children have superb relationships with staff.

New children, occasionally, feel anxious, and staff are quick to recognise this and offer reassurance. This helps children to feel happy and safe. Familiar daily routines and gentle reminders of what to expect next help children to feel emotionally very secure.

Children choose to play outdoors for most of the session. Their physical development is particularly well supported. They run and chase one another, play football and wash the ride-on toys.

Children expertly navigate the large climbing and sliding equipment. This contributes to their growing muscles and coordination. Children behave well.

They share with their friends and take turns. When asked to tidy up, children do this willingly. Staff have high expectations of the children, and they model positive behaviour based on respect for others.

This means children form meaningful friendships and show kindness towards their peers.

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

Staff have a good understanding of what children already know and what they need to learn next. They work closely with parents and other agencies to review children's next steps.

This helps them to consider what they need to be teaching for children to progress further. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress as a result.Staff have a firm but fair approach.

They provide clear boundaries and expectations to children, along with plenty of praise and encouragement. As a result, children develop good levels of confidence and happily approach adults for help.Staff encourage children to adopt habits that contribute to their good health.

For instance, they wash their hands thoroughly before they eat and after using the bathroom.Staff provide activities that help children prepare for their eventual move to school, such as joining large-group times. However, occasionally, staff do not hold children's interest.

As a result, some children disengage, and their listening and attention are disrupted.The manager has a clear overview of the curriculum and monitors its effectiveness. She reviews staff's observation records, making sure these reflect what children can do.

The manager identifies where children may be falling behind in learning, and takes action to help them keep up.The manager's ambition to continuously improve the pre-school is unmistakeable. She works closely with the committee and the staff team to identify a 'road-map' moving forwards, for example, there are plans to join with the host school to offer a forest school.

Managers and staff recognise when children and families need extra support. Interventions happen quickly and are identified early on. This helps to ensure children make progress and get the help they need to access learning that contributes to future life skills.

Staff join in with children as they play. They ask good-quality questions and engage in conversations with the children. However, occasionally, staff do not make best use of questions to help children build on what they already know.

Parents are highly complimentary about the staff. Comments include, 'the staff are wonderful, so supportive', and, 'without them I would be lost'. They comment on the excellent feedback they receive from staff and how they have been offered support, such as being signposted to other professionals.

The qualified staff show a genuine enthusiasm and passion for their work with children. They regularly access training and, occasionally, carry out research in their own time. Recent forest school training has sparked an interest in this style of teaching.

This helps staff to continually improve outcomes for children.Staff say they feel respected, valued and motivated to become the best they can be. Since the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, there has been an emphasis on well-being.

Staff explain the manager has been very approachable, supportive and perceptive about their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The designated lead, the committee members and the staff complete training to keep their child protection knowledge up to date.

They are aware of the signs of abuse and neglect, and they know the local referral procedures to follow if they have a concern. Staff refresh their safeguarding knowledge effectively in monthly staff meetings. They confidently describe the actions they would take should they have concerns about the practice of a colleague.

Staff have a high level of awareness of everyday safety. For instance, they monitor high-risk equipment, and children know they do not use it when there are cones in place.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's understanding of how to hold children's interest during planned activities to help children to focus their listening and attention support staff to use questioning even more effectively to extend children's learning.

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