Eastwood Community Pre-School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff support all children's emerging communication and language skills.

For instance, they get down to engage at the children's level so they feel listened to. This encourages children to actively take part in conversations and talk about what is important to them. Staff foster children's love of books.

For example, they often sit with children on a one-to-one basis to share a favourite story. Staff ask questions to prompt children to identify familiar characters and share their own ideas. They introduce more complex words to extend children's vocabulary.

For instance, staff respond to children's excitement w...hen they spot a worm and tell them it is 'slithering'.Staff plan the safe and stimulating outdoor play space to provide children with plenty of opportunities to be active and curious. Children wear wetsuits and 'wellies' to enable them to comfortably play outside in all weathers.

Staff allow children to freely explore the properties of natural materials, such as sand and mud, with all their senses. They closely supervise but stand back to enable children to challenge themselves as they climb and balance. This supports children to make progress as they develop their physical skills according to their own capabilities.

Staff sensitively support children to recognise how their behaviour affects others. As a result, children show empathy and kindly share and take turns.

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

The manager has put in place an effective programme of support for staff's well-being.

This includes regular supervisions and providing them with sufficient time to complete paperwork and access training.Staff participate in professional development opportunities that have positively benefited children's learning and development. For example, following a session regarding behaviour management they created a well-equipped 'calm zone' to provide a safe space for children who may be struggling with their emotions.

The key person gathers information from parents at the start so they are fully aware of children's existing skills and knowledge. They carry out their own observations to gain a deeper understanding of how to support children's ongoing development. However, at times, staff do not consistently provide challenge or focus their interactions to effectively build on what children already know and can do.

Staff promote children's independence when, for example, children persevere in putting on their own coats. Staff patiently offer them different techniques and encouragement. However, on occasions, they do not consistently role model and encourage children to put things away to keep the setting safe and tidy and help them learn to respect the toys and their environment.

Staff implement a broad curriculum that focuses on addressing the possible impact of COVID-19 on children's learning and development. For instance, they place baskets with clipboards, notebooks and writing equipment around the setting. They have noticed that children are becoming more competent mark makers.

Staff skilfully plan enjoyable activities that help them assess what children have learned and remembered. For example, after pancake day they introduced packets and props into the role-play area to represent the ingredients children used to make pancakes. Children use meaningful mathematical language when they enthusiastically discuss measurements and quantities while they recall their experiences.

Staff understand that children need to acquire certain skills in order to make progress. For instance, they are aware of the importance of children developing the strength in their upper body before they master the smaller muscle movements needed for early writing. Therefore, children delight in activities such as using large paintbrushes to paint the outdoor wall with water.

Staff support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities extremely well. They work very closely with other professionals to implement consistent strategies that help all children to make progress. Key persons contribute their ideas about how to use additional funding to provide resources that effectively meet children's unique needs.

The team has forged strong partnerships with other settings and schools. They share relevant information about children's learning and development. Staff arrange visits to schools children are due to attend and welcome visiting teachers.

This helps to smooth transitions.Parents say staff are 'amazing' and that their children have made progress. They feel well informed and appreciate that staff work effectively with other agencies to benefit their children.

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: support staff to enhance their existing good practice to fully challenge children during activities, to help consistently build on what children already know and can do work with the staff team to provide consistent messages, so that children are more involved in keeping the environment tidy and safe.