Cherry Tots Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

From the moment they arrive, children are greeted by warm, friendly staff who create a welcoming atmosphere.

Children understand to find their picture above a peg and hang their belongings up. Children demonstrate a high level of curiosity and enthusiasm to learn, as they quickly engage in the activities staff provide them. Children remain involved with activities for long periods of time, as staff skilfully interact with children to maintain their attention.

Children are developing good social skills. Staff model how to wait for a turn with toys and children show they understand how to take turns. For example, childre...n work together to decorate a pretend Christmas tree with shapes.

They wait patiently for a turn to place a magnetic shape on the tree. They work cooperatively together, taking turns until the pretend Christmas tree is fully decorated.Children are supported to build skills towards independence.

Staff provide prompts to help children open their packets at lunchtime. Staff describe to 'pinch' each side of the packet and 'pull' to open it. Children coordinate their hands, follow the instructions and open the packets.

Children show pride when they achieve. They call 'I did it' as they persist and manage to twist their own lids off their squeezy yogurts. Additionally, children learn how to keep themselves safe.

They recall explanations that staff have given them and they share them with visitors. For example, children say they cannot go on the climbing frame, because it is raining. Children explain the wet floor may cause them to slip, and they could hurt themselves.

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

Staff build positive relationships with children and get to know them and their families well. They gather information about children's interests and what children can do before they start at the pre-school. Staff use this information to tailor the activities they provide children.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. If needed, managers increase the number of staff working with children, to ensure all children can participate in activities.Staff understand child development.

They are clear about what they want children to learn and how they maximise their interactions during inside activities, to promote children's learning. However, outside, staff are not as clear on what they want children to learn, and how to deliver this through activities and resources they provide. Therefore, children do not receive similar high-quality interactions and experiences outside as they do inside.

Staff support every child to develop a love of books. To help children to understand the structure of stories, staff show children how to use books, hold them the right way up and model reading to them. Staff make the stories come to life, they use different tones of voice and emphasise words to maintain children's focus.

Children show their keen interest in books. For example, young children select a book, sit on the carpet and 'read' out loud as they point to pictures and turn the pages carefully.Staff plan experiences to support children to develop mathematical knowledge.

Staff use group times to introduce children to counting and grouping. They place pictures of monkeys on the wall as they sing 'Five monkeys in a bed'. As staff remove one monkey at a time, they encourage children to count up how many are left.

Staff model counting. Younger children begin to use numbers and join in counting, one to five. While older children eagerly call out how many are left and hold up the correct amount on their fingers.

Children begin to use this mathematical understanding purposefully. They count how many boys and girls there are as they sit down for lunch. They correctly add them all together without support and confidently tell staff how many children are sat around the table.

Staff develop children's listening and attention skills. They plan activities to support older children to hear the beginning sounds of words. Children show they understand and confidently use the sound.

They point out pictures in books that begin with a particular sound. Staff encourage younger children to listen for sounds in the environment. For example, as a plane flies over, staff ask young children to name what they hear.

Children stop what they are doing and show their curiosity. They enjoy trying to guess what the sound could be, until they guess correctly.Staff comment on how well supported they feel.

This helps them feel confident to discuss new ideas and activities to implement for children. Staff describe training they have attended and the positive impact this has on their practice. For example, staff talk confidently about experiences they plan for children that help them assess their own risks, which supports children to learn about their own capabilities and skills.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the delivery of the curriculum outside, to ensure the experiences and interactions children receive are of the same high quality as inside.

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