Funtimes Preschool Ickenham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive with their parents, anticipating a fun day at this pre-school.

Staff greet every child warmly, offering favourite toys and resources or a cuddle to support them coming in. Parents give a quick handover as other staff reassure parents it is usual for children to need a little encouragement as they settle into the provision. Parents share with each other how they will quickly receive a picture via the online app showing their child engaged and playing.

Staff are very child-centred. They instinctively notice when children may require extra help. They immediately speak to parents, sharing observations and s...eeking consent to initiate referrals.

They introduce strategies, such as pictures as prompts, using short-spoken phrases along with signs and gestures to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).Behaviour is generally good. Children respond well to staff being at their eye level and explaining what is going to happen next.

Children take turns and share resources. Acts of kindness can be seen between children. For example, they pass toys to each other or break off pieces of their play dough to give to a peer to enable them to join in and play.

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

Following their last inspection, leaders and managers have sought support with the pre-school curriculum. Activities for children are effectively planned around topics and themes. Leaders and managers use separate developmental stages to differentiate learning expectations for all children.

All staff join an online 'virtual' planning meeting to ensure children have clear aims and next steps for learning that are known to staff. Children quickly find activities and experiences that catch and retain their interest, supporting and sustaining their curiosity and concentration.Children with SEND are effectively supported.

The established staff team uses a range of strategies to develop attention and listening skills. Developing children's communication is a high priority. Staff get down to children's eye level and they sign and use gestures to support spoken language.

However, on occasion, staff ask children questions, not giving them time to think and respond, or ask questions that only have a 'yes' or 'no' answer.Children generally behave well. They are kind, caring and show an awareness of their peers by taking turns and sharing with minimum prompting.

Staff act as good role models. However, they do not always make behavioural expectations clear to children. There are times when children do not respond to requests made of them.

Staff mostly work well together. They use their initiative, for example, by completing head counts and moving from indoors to outside to follow the flow of children. Staff interact well with children who they encourage to join in activities that match their interests.

Daily opportunities for group activities, such as story and circle times, extend children's learning. Staff also introduce the days of the week and discuss the weather. However, staff do not support children to manage the change from free play to group sessions.

Children occasionally have to sit and wait while their peers are still being encouraged to follow the routine to join the group.Excellent partnerships are established with parents, which benefits children's care and learning. Parents receive information about the pre-school and have opportunities to be fully involved in the children's learning.

Parents are highly complimentary about the staff and the care and attention they offer to their children.Leaders and mangers are committed to providing high-quality care and learning opportunities for all children. They have sought advice and guidance to devise an ambitious, differentiated curriculum and to develop a better understanding of the quality of the provision.

The established team accurately identifies what it does well and what improvements it needs to make. It has evaluated the outside space as part of its continuous improvement and completely regenerated the area.Children are happy and confident.

There are effective systems used to help children settle in and to feel secure and to build confidence and a sense of belonging. Children display trusting relationships with all members of staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff, leaders and managers have a good understanding of what they need to do if they are concerned about a child in their care. All staff confidently share their knowledge on changes that would raise their awareness and how they would follow local safeguarding procedures. Staff have access to regular safeguarding training to ensure they remain up to date and their knowledge is refreshed.

Leaders and managers have attended safer recruitment training to ensure robust processes are in place, such as vetting checks to ensure staff suitability. Daily health and safety checks are completed by senior staff to make sure all areas used by children are clean and well maintained.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of activities and deployment of staff to help all children to fully focus and engage in their learning nensure behaviour expectations are clear and consistent across all routines and activities make better use of opportunities to develop and extend children's language skills.