First Steps Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children receive a warm welcome from caring and considerate staff when they arrive at the pre-school. They are absorbed in the exciting and meaningful learning experiences.

For example, they build and construct houses with small bricks indoors, and an obstacle course outside with crates and planks of wood. Children thoroughly enjoy painting their representation of a shark. These activities have a positive impact on children's progress.

Children enjoy taking part in music and movement sessions. They happily join in with staff as they move their bodies to the music. Children are excited, interested and motivated to learn....

They are active and this promotes their physical skills. Children are well behaved. They learn good manners and to share and take turns with resources and equipment.

Children's health is supported well. They listen and respond to instructions promptly. For instance, they wash their hands thoroughly on arrival and before meals.

Children are confident. They move around the pre-school rooms and go outside and into the outdoor classroom pod with ease. Their growing independence is supported effectively.

For example, they change into wellingtons and know they have to knock to re-enter the pre-school from outdoor play. Children gain the skills they need for the next stages in their learning, including when they move on to school.

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

The quality of teaching is good.

Staff have a clear understanding of how young children learn. However, staff do not provide consistently high levels of challenge as children play and engage in activities. Staff do not maximise opportunities to help ensure that children achieve their highest potential.

Children enjoy the wide range of activities. They play with great enthusiasm. Children learn about texture as they explore a wealth of materials such as foam, paint, sand and water.

However, sometimes, staff do not make the most of opportunities to promote literacy skills such as early writing abilities. Some staff intervene too quickly to write children's names for them.Children enjoy playing with construction materials.

Staff introduce language for height, comparison and size. They teach children well through their interactions. Staff introduce children to mathematics as they play, helping them to count and discuss shapes.

Children's love of books is greatly encouraged. Staff engage children well as they animatedly read familiar stories. They provide props to enhance these and children join in with familiar words and phrases.

Children show good levels of concentration.Children develop good communication skills. Staff model language well and introduce new words, such as 'translucent'.

They use repetition and help children to expand sentences. This helps to build on children's growing vocabulary.Children are learning to stay safe while taking managed risks.

For example, they develop their physical skills as they negotiate an obstacle course. Children move nimbly, demonstrating good levels of balance and control. They concentrate and keep trying until they succeed.

Children settle well. Strategies for easing transitions into the pre-school and on to school are effective. Staff visit new children and their families in their home to help them get to know children.

They work closely with parents and other professionals in supporting children's move to school.Children develop confidence and independence. They demonstrate positive attitudes and learn to socialise with others.

A variety of experiences are provided for children to go on outings within the local community. For example, they visit a care home for older people.The qualified manager and childcare staff closely monitor children's progress.

This helps staff to target areas where children require further intervention. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported through effective partnerships with parents and external agencies.The manager supervises staff well.

She offers childcare staff regular one-to-one meetings, and staff say they feel supported in their role. They attend further training to build on their current knowledge and skills. This has a positive impact on the quality of teaching.

The manager and staff reflect together as a team. They identify strengths within the pre-school and areas to improve. This has led to the ongoing development of the outside areas.

Parents' feedback is highly positive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and childcare staff are knowledgeable about child protection issues.

They identify the potential signs and symptoms of abuse or radicalisation. All staff know the different indicators of abuse or neglect and understand the procedure to follow to report any concerns. The manager ensures staff are suitable and have the necessary skills to carry out their roles.

Staff are deployed effectively to help keep children safe. The pre-school is safe and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: place more emphasis on developing children's early literacy skills so that their progress in this area of learning is accelerated help children to contribute more in activities and extend their learning to higher levels.