Gateway Brockhurst Avery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are clearly happy and demonstrate they feel safe at the pre-school. They swiftly settle in and enthusiastically explore the many exciting activities that staff provide. Children enjoy riding bicycles outdoors, building train tracks and playing turn-taking games with staff and their friends.

Children take obvious delight in the staff's company, such as when they race children on scooters and play alongside them with dough. Staff support children's emotional well-being effectively. Children learn to communicate effectively to their friends and the staff.

They display good levels of independence, for instance, wh...en they help to prepare snacks for their friends and clear away afterwards. Children have many choices and make decisions. They clearly know the pre-school's rules and staff's expectations.

Staff are positive role models and children behave well. However, at times, children do not have sustained periods of time to deeply engage in their learning. Staff, on occasions, do not make the most of opportunities that arise as children play to fully support and extend their learning.

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

The staff team works well together to support children's learning. It communicates effectively to ensure the smooth daily running of the pre-school. There are high levels of consistency across the pre-school rooms, which helps children feel secure and know what is expected of them.

However, at times, the daily routines do not ensure children have long uninterrupted times to play. Small-group activities, although engaging, disrupt children's play and learning. Staff do not make the best possible use of these activities to support children's learning.

Listening activities, for example, take place in a noisy room, which is distracting for children and makes it difficult for them to hear what staff say. This does not make the best use of children's learning time in pre-school.Staff know the children well.

They know what children like to play with and how they like to learn. Staff accurately assess what children can do and what they need help to achieve. They plan engaging activities to support children's learning.

Children draw their favourite foods and talk about healthy food choices. They enjoy being doctors to their dolls, the staff and their friends. These activities are supported by attentive staff who help children learn about their physical development.

Children are purposeful learners. They enjoy sustained interactions with knowledgeable staff who support their learning well. Staff regularly monitor the progress children make.

Any gaps in children's learning and the skills they acquire are swiftly identified and closed. Additional funding is thoughtfully used to give all children the same opportunities, experiences and chances.Passionate staff support effectively children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language.

Targeted support helps children acquire the skills they need to move on to the next stage in their education.Parents report they are very happy with the care and support they and their children receive from the staff. They comment that staff 'go above and beyond' in their roles to make a positive difference to their families' lives.

Staff build strong partnerships with parents and other professionals involved with children. This ensures high levels of consistency for children's care and learning.The manager has a clear overview of her staff team and the needs of the children attending the pre-school.

She monitors the quality of staff practice and the curriculum effectively to ensure children have a continually good-quality experience in the pre-school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are confident to promote children's welfare.

They understand what safeguarding means and what actions to take if they have any concerns about children or other members of staff. The manager ensures all staff keep their knowledge current by completing training and taking part in discussions at staff meetings. Staff recruitment is robust.

Ongoing supervision is effective and the manager regularly checks staff's suitability. Staff risk assess the learning environments to reduce hazards to children and ensure children are safe as they play and learn in the pre-school.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review daily routines to make the most of children's learning time in the pre-school make the most of teaching opportunities that arise as children play, to ensure all children acquire the skills they need to move on to the next stage of their education.

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