Cootham Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

The manager and her staff create an extremely friendly and warm atmosphere, where children flourish and get off to a flying start. Children are happy and confident and, as a result, their behaviour is exemplary.

Staff's organisation of the indoor and outdoor environment provides a highly stimulating learning space for children. The exceptionally dedicated and knowledgeable staff develop meaningful relationships with every child. They naturally delve into children's lives to find what is important to them and use this information to enhance their learning and development.

As a result, key-person relationships are... positive, informed and uniquely beneficial for every child. Children are exceptionally engaged in their learning and play. Staff have high expectations of every child to achieve to the best of their ability.

Staff give the children time to respond to questions and opportunities to try to do activities for themselves. Therefore, children become extremely independent learners. Children impressively recognise their own names, fetch their own coats and pour their own drinks during mealtimes.

Staff work tremendously hard to create a supportive environment where parents are informed in detail of their child's progress and how to extend their learning at home. Staff are exceptionally skilful at extending and consolidating children's skills needed for the next steps in their learning, such as school.

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

The manager carefully evaluates the curriculum and recruits staff to help broaden the curriculum they offer to children.

This includes staff with artistic and scientific knowledge, providing rich and awe-inspiring experiences for children. For example, children learn about floating and sinking using a range of exciting and unusual objects. Children also learn to explore and mix colours using dyes, paints and cornflour.

Children's physical skills are exceptionally well supported. They enjoy the time spent outdoors, where exciting activities and resources are available for them to choose from. For example, children are engaged in exploring and transporting ice in wheelbarrows.

Other children explore how to make the ice melt by putting it in different places.Staff enhance children's problem-solving and physical skills through an excellent range of exciting and challenging activities. For instance, children enjoy pegboards, threading activities and lock and key puzzles, which all support their fine and gross motor skills.

The manager and staff establish extraordinarily good partnerships with staff at other settings children also attend. They provide children with an amazingly positive approach to their shared care and learning experiences. For instance, they visit other settings, share next steps in children's learning and observe children together with staff at other settings.

Parents are highly complimentary about the level of care their children receive. They say that the staff are exceptionally friendly and supportive. Many parents expressed their view that their children started school well above their peers.

For instance, in their personal care, where they could dress themselves for sports lessons and use cutlery.Staff establish incredibly positive relationships with children. All children have an outstanding sense of belonging and excellent levels of self-worth and self- motivation.

All children are extremely confident to communicate their ideas. They have an extensive range of vocabulary and learn new words. For example, children are encouraged to learn new vocabulary, such as 'oxygen,' 'metal' and 'aluminium', during science activities.

Staff have an outstanding knowledge of the curriculum that they implement. They are incredibly passionate and enthusiastic. They support children to develop skills they need to succeed.

For instance, children learn to form letters during messy play and how to hold a pencil while practising threading activities.Children speak fluently and are keen to make up new lyrics and sing. Children excitedly share these songs with their friends.

They use musical resources to create rhythms and explore volume.The manager and staff establish incredibly positive partnerships with parents. They routinely share ideas on how to support children to learn letters and sounds and how to support children with their personal care routines.

The manager invests heavily in the coaching and mentoring of staff. As a result, staff feel valued and extremely supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff complete a rigorous safeguarding training programme. This equips them with an excellent knowledge of safeguarding and the wider knowledge needed to understand the signs and symptoms which indicate a child is at risk. Staff have regular training on safeguarding issues, such as the risk of radicalisation.

They can identify different indicators of abuse and neglect exceptionally well. Staff take swift action when they identify concerns about a child's welfare. The manager risk assesses the resources and environment effectively.