Chestnuts Pre-school

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they are happy, feel secure and enjoy their time at the pre-school. They are motivated to explore the well-planned learning environment and make new discoveries. Staff provide a firm foundation for children's learning, and children make good progress from their starting points.

Children particularly enjoy the freedom to play and learn outdoors. They eagerly challenge themselves as they use a good selection of resources that encourage them to be adventurous and physically active. Children practise their physical skills as they expertly navigate their way to the top of the small climbing frame and ride b...icycles.

They confidently assess risks and test out their physical abilities.Children behave well, play harmoniously together, and collaborate as they work as a team, such as when making dough. They demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning and take part in activities with enthusiasm and excitement.

This is evident when children act out being a shopkeeper and sell food, including real fruits and vegetables, to their friends.Children concentrate well during activities and are not easily distracted. They confidently develop the skills and abilities they will need for the future.

For example, they independently pour their own drinks during snack, and dress and undress for outdoor play. They show pleasure in the praise they receive from staff and celebrate their own achievements.

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

The manager is aware of the potential impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's learning and development.

She has identified that, after the national restrictions, some children needed support to develop their social skills. Pre-school staff have worked closely with parents to support children to catch up quickly in these areas.The well-qualified and experienced manager and staff are committed to providing high-quality inclusive care and education for all children and their families.

The manager makes good use of appraisals and regular feedback on staff performance to promote continuous improvement within the setting.Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how children learn and develop. They regularly observe and assess children to check their progress.

This helps them to identify gaps in children's learning and provide targeted support when necessary.Staff work effectively with parents and other professionals involved in children's care. They regularly share information with them about children's development and make suggestions on how parents can support learning at home.

However, when planning and completing some activities, staff do not always focus specifically on what children need to learn next.Staff provide a vast range of opportunities to enhance children's communication and language skills, such as through books, stories, songs and rhymes. Children relish the opportunities to listen to stories, and a 'lending library' encourages parents to read to children at home.

During stories, children confidently predict what might happen next, such as identifying that the caterpillar will become a cocoon and eventually a beautiful butterfly.Staff embed mathematical development well. Children use mathematical language freely in their everyday play.

For instance, they count the number of candles on a cake, record numbers as they play, and create different-sized rooms as they build houses, using toy bricks. Children confidently count to 20 and identify the difference between 'big' and 'small'.Children show a strong drive to learn and find out new things.

Overall, staff make effective use of their interactions with children to support and guide their learning. However, they do not consistently notice spontaneous opportunities to impart new knowledge to children.Children have high levels of imagination and bring this into their everyday play.

For instance, they use play bricks to build a house, and act out the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Children take turns to be the wolf and attempt to blow the house down.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The leadership team uses robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all new staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities around safeguarding. They have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm, including wider safeguarding issues, such as female genital mutilation and extremism.

Staff are confident about who to report concerns to, including concerns about their colleagues. Leaders ensure that staff regularly update their knowledge on current safeguarding issues, such as through regular discussions during staff meetings.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to develop staff's knowledge of the curriculum intentions, so that all activities for children have a clear focus nuse children's spontaneous interests more consistently to teach new information and extend learning further.

Also at this postcode