Foulds Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are inquisitive and highly motivated to learn.

The learning environment inspires children's natural curiosity and they are keen to lead their own play. They confidently explore and investigate, and staff consistently encourage them to find things out for themselves. Children make exceptional progress across the seven areas of learning, which prepares them for the next stage of their education.

They are articulate and readily engage in conversation. Staff question skilfully, extending children's thinking and speaking skills effectively. Children's behaviour is superb.

The staff act as extremely ...good role models and have high expectations of children's conduct. The bonds between staff and children are strong. Children are introduced to their key person during a home visit, and a gradual introduction helps to support their emotional security.

Children demonstrate exceptional social skills. They are very considerate towards others and are very skilled in resolving conflict. The staff encourage children to have a go at new challenges and help them to work through to a successful completion.

Children use their advanced physical skills while building using large construction blocks. They engage in imaginative role play when they operate a vast array of play tools and resources, as they cooperatively pretend to build houses. Older children choose to take paper and pens and proudly show the 'plans' that they are drawing of the houses they want to build.

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

The staff's excellent teaching highly motivates children to remain immersed and deeply engaged in all activities. For example, when making their own dough, staff question children about where flour comes from, encouraging them to think for themselves.Staff supervision is highly effective.

The provider uses her extensive early years knowledge and skills to consistently provide staff with guidance and coaching. This ensures that high standards of care and education are maintained. Training priorities are decided upon with individuals and as a team.

Recent training has improved staff's superb skills in dealing with varying behaviours, using highly consistent positive reinforcement as a very effective communication strategy.On arrival, children cannot wait to get involved, happily leaving their parents to speak with staff while they greet their friends and begin to play. Young children who are new to the group settle quickly with their key person's support.

Staff help children acquire new knowledge and foster a deep understanding of people beyond their own family and community. For example, children learn to count and sing songs, and they thoroughly enjoy their weekly French lessons. Children are highly curious and enjoy learning about various people and different customs.

They share their own experiences and ways of life during special circle times.The partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents initially provide highly comprehensive information about their child's development and care needs.

Staff and parents promptly share home experiences and information regularly. Parents make comments on a 'children's interests' board and share videos of special home events. Staff promptly share the awe and wonder found in children's achievements through their 'wow' moments.

The provider and staff continually observe and assess what children know and can do. Staff provide additional challenges to extend children's learning and help them master any skills that they find difficult. Staff demonstrate a superb understanding of how children learn and develop.

Children have an exceptional understanding of the importance of keeping healthy and practise their excellent independence skills in a variety of ways. For example, younger children encounter some difficulty when they try to take off their own shoes or put on their own coats. Staff speak to them reassuringly and make suggestions to support their independence and help them to succeed.

The provider and staff ensure that the education and health plans of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are successfully integrated in the learning environment. Staff quickly establish effective professional partnerships with other professionals. They facilitate high levels of continuity in children's learning and care.

Children's creativity and literacy development are exceptionally well supported. Children routinely make marks in different ways, including using sticks in mud or dribbling glue onto black cardboard sheets to imitate a snails trail, after reading their favourite book. Children develop very good pencil control and while drawing they create and confidently talk about their detailed pictures.

Young children count while they play, and older children solve mathematical problems as they weigh ingredients for the dough they're making. Children confidently talk about measures and know the difference between the quantities 'whole' and 'half'. They recognise numerals beyond 10.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider ensures that staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. All staff complete a wealth of training.

They know the signs of abuse and neglect and the referral procedures to follow if they have a concern. Staff are very aware of their responsibilities to prevent children being drawn into situations that may put them at risk. Procedures for recruitment and selection are highly robust in ensuring the suitability of staff.

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