Deverell Hall Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

This small and dedicated team is completely committed to ensuring that the children who attend make good progress. Families are supported and respected as an integral part of their children's achievements and future progress. Parents comment on the individual attention that each staff member provides for their children and the community ethos that is present.

Children are confident and independent, and are encouraged to try to do things by themselves. For instance, all resources are stored to provide children with the choice to build on their own interests. Overall, children behave well.

Staff use consistent routines a...nd boundaries for behaviour to help children to learn about the expectations of the staff team. Children who display more challenging behaviour receive consistent explanations to build further on their skills and increasing understanding. Staff help children to develop an early awareness of making good choices in the food they eat and ensuring that children have daily access to the outdoors for fresh air and exercise.

Children are engaged and curious in their play. For example, they relish exploring with different bugs and insects and learning about their habitats. This helps children to learn more about nature in the world around them.

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

Staff are well qualified and knowledgeable. They respect that children learn at different ages and stages and are sensitive to each child's capabilities when they set the next steps for their learning. The manager ensures that all staff members have regular supervisions and opportunities to discuss any concerns.

This helps them to constantly reflect on their own practice and the learning opportunities they provide for children.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, children who speak English as an additional language and those who receive additional funding make encouraging progress. Partnerships with other professionals are very effective and provide children with a joined-up approach towards the next steps for their future development.

They key-person system works exceptionally well and helps children to quickly build a sense of belonging. Dedicated time each day is set aside to help staff to precisely plan and observe children at play. Staff track children's progress closely and any potential gaps are quickly acted upon.

This ensures that additional help is put into place. The manager precisely monitors specific groups of children who attend the pre-school and this helps to ensure that all children do well.Staff support the communication and language development of children.

They constantly ask questions and introduce new words and language. This helps children to increase the range of vocabulary they use in their play and learning. However, occasionally, staff do not provide children with enough time to express their own views and suggestions.

Overall, the manager uses the process of self-evaluation well and plans for the professional development of staff to help raise their knowledge and practice. She consistently seeks the views of the staff team, children and parents to help identify areas for improvement and change. The manager plans for the professional development of the staff to help raise their knowledge and practice.

Recent training has helped staff to look more closely at how they plan for the different ages of the children who attend the pre-school.Children have lots of space to explore and immerse themselves into the activities planned throughout their day. They enjoy role play areas, for example as they play together in the pretend optician's shop as they try on different glasses and attempt to read letters on the 'sight chart'.

However, staff do not organise themselves effectively enough to quickly support the emerging needs or interests of the children, to build further on their learning.Staff help children to start to use mathematics and early literacy in their play. Children recognise letters contained within books and stories, and persevere to try and write their own names on their artwork.

They use wooden shapes to create structures and problem-solve as they count the spots on a dice and move their snail along the game board towards the finish line.Children are developing a deep understanding of the importance of working well with others and increasing their understanding of how to negotiate and take turns. For instance, staff help children to build solutions together as they use the computer game to match coloured cards.

Children show high levels of respect for themselves. They are able to effortlessly express their own emotions and feelings, knowing that these are valued.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are vigilant in their role in protecting the children in their care. They are confident in how they would identify potential signs of abuse and the procedures they would use to report concerns. The manager precisely plans for the training of staff to help to keep their knowledge of safeguarding of children up to date.

Robust recruitment procedures are used to ensure the suitability of staff who work directly with the children. Staff use good risk assessments to help to provide secure environments that children can explore and investigate safely.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide children with time to respond to questions, to fully support them to express their own ideas and suggestions norganise staff more effectively, to ensure that the needs and emerging learning of the children are swiftly identified and supported.