East Cliff Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at the nursery enthusiastic and eager to learn. Staff welcome them warmly as they enter.

Children who find it more difficult to separate from parents on arrival receive sensitive support from staff. There is a wide variety of resources available, and the children quickly become engaged. Children feel safe and secure.

They are well supported by staff who understand their individual development and learning needs. Building children's confidence and independence is a key aspect of the provision. For instance, older children talk about their experiences from home and enjoy speaking in front of their friends....

Younger children learn how to wash their hands on their own and put on their coats. Children receive lots of praise, which helps to boost their self-esteem and pride in their abilities. They play alongside their friends and enjoy singing familiar songs together and completing rhymes.

Staff teach children how to be patient and take turns when they play together.The owner has a strong understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children. Together with the staff, they structure their curriculum around key areas, to help extend children's skills.

For example, support for communication and language and personal, social and emotional development is in place.

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

The owner is caring, dedicated and has high ambition for the quality of teaching. She plans a broad and ambitious curriculum to help all children progress as well as they can.

The owner has children's well-being at the heart of all she does.Overall, staff encourage children to understand new ideas and to make connections in their learning. For instance, staff ask children questions about their past experiences.

This encourages recall and discussion about what they have learned about previously. However, on occasion, not all staff make maximum use of interactions to challenge and further extend children's thinking skills.Children are learning to be confident communicators.

Staff provide good support for children who speak English as an additional language. They focus on supporting children's skills in English and enable children to use their home language so that they feel valued and included. Staff use visual aids, such as visual timetables, and gestures to enhance children's understanding of what happens next.

Children behave well. They listen to staff and follow instructions, such as tidying up. However, there are occasions when children wait too long between routines and activities.

As a result, children's learning time is not fully maximised.Children with additional needs are exceptionally well supported. Staff identify quickly when children may need additional help and seek prompt advice from other professionals.

They work hard, with dedication, to implement agreed strategies and activities. Staff place a high emphasis on enabling the children to make excellent progress given their age, stage of development and their starting points. This provides a highly-effective approach to inclusive care and support for all children.

Staff and parents work closely together to provide consistent support to children. Staff offer help immediately or refer parents on to other agencies. This means children and their families feel supported and valued.

Parents speak positively about the caring and helpful staff team. They state that they feel extremely well informed and enjoy continuing their children's learning at home. Staff provide a variety of leaflets to help parents in a range of topics, such as oral hygiene and sleeping tips.

Staff report good support for their well-being. They are proud of the setting that they work in and enjoy their role. This creates a positive atmosphere for children to learn in.

Leaders involve staff in the decisions, so there is a strong shared commitment to continuous improvements. They support staff to complete childcare qualifications to develop their practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff have a secure understanding of how to keep children safe from harm. They update their own knowledge continuously so they can be alert to all possible safeguarding concerns and any needs arising in the local area. Staff ensure children are adequately supervised.

They have a sound knowledge of the local procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child. The owner ensures there are robust recruitment procedures in place and monitors the ongoing suitability of the team.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to utilise opportunities to challenge children further in their learning, to extend thinking skills to the highest level strengthen the organisation of routines so that children's play and learning time is maximised.