First Steps Orrishmere Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are motivated to learn new skills.

The outdoor area, in particular, provides them with an extensive range of learning opportunities. Children use real tools at the work bench to build. They use metal pans in the mud kitchen and become absorbed in role play.

Children have fun and are creative. Assorted wheels, wooden planks and cardboard tubes are used inventively. Children make boats, construct walls and roll wheels and ping-pong balls down guttering tubes.

They actively search for bugs and wildlife and use magnifying glasses to take a closer look. They share their prior knowledge of 'parakeets' and '...shield beetles' articulately with others. The 'bug house' is also another source of discussion as they find ladybirds and other small creatures.

Well-qualified staff nurture and support all children. Children settle with ease and are very happy and safe. They behave well and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging.

For instance, they find their name on arrival, 'check in' on the board and immediately start to play and learn. The dedicated manager has high hopes for children and, overall, staff plan activities which help children to make good progress. Staff identify any gaps in children's knowledge and skills and work to bridge gaps, utilising the expertise of other children, staff and parents.

An example of this is a recent visit by a parent who brought in exciting musical instruments, such as a oboe. This helped to widen children's experiences of percussion instruments.

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

Children play harmoniously together.

They solve any problems that they encounter by helping each other. For example, as they make 'pirate ships' using boxes, glue and tape, one child holds the tape while the other cuts it with scissors. They produce magnificent models which staff display for everyone to admire.

Children are proud of their achievements and have high levels of confidence.Staff teach children about different people and the importance of protecting the environment. There is an extremely high focus on looking after the planet.

For example, children recycle plastic and food waste, grow plants and care for wildlife. Children meet elderly people and are visited by professionals, such as a local police officer. This helps to develop awareness of good values, including an understanding of right and wrong.

Staff value and welcome parents' input. Methods used to involve parents include an online learning book. Parents particularly enjoy the stay-and-play sessions and helping their children to choose items from home for the daily show-and-tell discussion.

Parents express complete satisfaction with the care and learning their children receive.Staff work closely with other settings. They share meaningful information to help provide consistency for children who receive shared care.

Staff liaise with school teachers to support older children's move to school. They mirror activities, such as phonics and send home reading books in bags, in preparation for the transition.Assessments showed that, in the past, use of technology was not well developed.

The manager used early years pupil premium funding to purchase extra resources including microphones, tape recorders and cameras. The impact was positive. Children now access this aspect of provision, make good progress in this area and operate technology devices with confidence.

For example, children talk and sing into microphones, record their voices and play them back for staff to hear. Staff interact well with children, which helps them develop their language and vocabulary. However, occasionally, the questioning techniques used by staff do not challenge children's thinking skills.

The manager works closely with staff. She provides training and regular time for chats to discuss staff workload and any support they need. Staff observe each other's practice and share constructive feedback.

This helps them to ensure that teaching is of a good standard. A shared approach to self-evaluation means everyone is involved and able to make positive changes.Overall, the curriculum is well planned and helps children to develop skills and make good progress.

However, sometimes the manager's intent for the curriculum is not realised and fully implemented by staff, particularly during group activities and story sessions. There are times when activities are not tailored to promote individual children's learning needs. Some children lose interest and others find it difficult to maintain attention, as staff focus on teaching the group.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand their responsibility to keep children safe. All staff hold paediatric first-aid qualifications.

Staff have completed safeguarding training, including four members of staff who hold higher level training in child protection. This means that many staff are well trained in dealing with any potential child protection issues. Everyone knows what steps to take if they are concerned about the actions of a colleague.

Staff closely monitor children's attendance and contact parents to check that children are safe and well. The hall is shared with the local scout group and staff arrive early to set up the hall and make it safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the use of questioning techniques to challenge and extend all children's thinking skills further plan more precisely to focus on individual children's capabilities and learning needs, for example during group activities and story time sessions, where children of mixed ages and abilities are together.