Fleet Baptist - The Views

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this welcoming and stimulating pre-school.

They form warm and affectionate bonds with staff, who are very responsive to their care needs. Children meet staff with huge smiles as they arrive, eager to start their day. They quickly choose and engage in the range of interesting activities on offer.

Children happily play alone, as well as together. For example, in the home role-play area they show good teamwork. They assign each other a specific role and enjoy making breakfast.

Children appear to feel safe and comfortable.Children develop good independence skills and look af...ter their self-care needs well. For instance, at snack times, they routinely wash and dry their hands, choose from a selection of healthy foods and pour their own drinks.

Children are aware of staff's high expectations of behaviour. They follow staff's lead, demonstrating compassion and empathy. For instance, older children readily invite younger ones into their play.

Children learn to recognise their emotions. Staff effectively use picture symbols and corresponding signs to help younger children recognise their emotions. Older children begin to show they can self-regulate their own feelings, such as the need for a well-deserved rest in the cosy reading area when they are tired.

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

Leaders have a clear vision of the pre-school's strengths and priorities for improvement. They demonstrate a strong commitment to offering high-quality education and care for all children. Each staff member has a specific responsibility to enhance the provision.

For example, an experienced family support worker is employed to work with families to help them access local facilities that they may be unaware of. In addition, the special educational needs coordinator plays a vital role in ensuring children with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve as well as their peers. She works effectively with external professionals, staff and parents to provide a tailored and consistent approach.

Leaders and staff instil a sense of community in children and help them learn respect and tolerance for different faiths and beliefs. Children develop an understanding of different cultures through planned activities and celebrations. For instance, parents of children from the Muslim faith are approached to suggest ways to raise children's awareness of Ramadan.

They enjoy going on regular walks in the local area and recap on what they have seen, such as a tree with Easter egg decorations in a shop.Staff provide children with opportunities to be active in the fresh air. Children show good physical skills as they build their stamina outdoors.

For example, they enjoy running, practise throwing and catching different sized balls, as well as using their arm and hand muscles to draw large marks on paper. This helps children learn about staying fit and healthy.Overall, staff promote children's communication and language well.

They engage children in conversations and introduce new words to broaden their growing vocabulary. For instance, they teach the word 'biodegradable' when learning about sustainability. However, on occasions, when staff lead a large group of mixed ages and abilities, some children lose attention and cause distraction to others.

Older children tend to call out their responses to questions, which means that the younger and quieter ones do not get an opportunity to consider and express their ideas.Staff commend the manager's regular supervisions to identify strengths and areas to help improve their teaching skills. Staff feel that they are supported well in their professional development.

Overall, they effectively adapt their teaching strategies to raise children's learning to a consistently good level. However, some teaching strategies are still to become fully embedded into staff practice. For example, staff do not consistently develop plans that precisely target children's learning to further enhance their progress.

Parents highly value leaders and staff. They say that staff are proactive in providing strategies to support their children's learning at home. Parents feel that their children are encouraged, valued and praised for their efforts.

They are impressed with children's increasing confidence and ongoing commitment to learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff fully understand their role and responsibility to protect children from harm.

They are aware of potential signs and symptoms that a child may be at risk of abuse, including exposure to extremist views and behaviours. Staff have an appropriate understanding of procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare. Leaders know the correct procedure if there are allegations made against staff.

The environment is risk assessed throughout the day, indoors and outdoors, to ensure the premises are safe and secure. Leaders use robust recruitment procedures and ongoing checks to ensure staff working with children remain suitable to do so.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nadapt teaching strategies to help all children fully engage and learn more effectively when taking part in large-group activities develop staff professional development more precisely to improve learning outcomes for all children.