Giggle and Grow Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children receive a warm welcome on arrival at the setting and keenly follow routines to wash their hands. They confidently leave their parents and self-register before independently selecting toys to play with. Children come together to sing the morning welcome song and practise the number of the week.

They listen intently, follow the actions, sing and count to seven. Children who choose not to join in are supported by staff with other activities, to ensure they are involved in meaningful learning.The manager has a clear vision of what she wants children to learn.

There is a current focus on the prime areas of learning..., particularly speech and language development, to help assess new children. Staff encourage children's independence. Children select resources and choose activities.

This enables staff to identify their interests and helps children build life skills. For example, children chop cucumber at snack time and pour their own drinks. Staff know the children very well.

They use observations and assessments to track development and identify areas where children need support. This includes progress checks for children aged two. Additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, is used appropriately to provide children with extra opportunities.

For instance, children enjoyed an exciting trip on a bus to visit another pre-school to broaden their experiences.

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

Staff are excellent role models and promote good behaviour. They use positive language, such as 'kind hands' and 'kind words', to support children's understanding.

Children are encouraged to use sand timers to support taking turns and build self-regulation skills. Consequently, children behave well and show care and concern for others.Staff introduce mathematics to children throughout the setting.

They display numbers and use opportunities to count objects and identify shapes. Children correctly name a triangle, square and circle and persevere to complete a shape puzzle. This helps children build on their mathematical skills and introduces mathematical language to extend vocabulary.

Parent partnerships are strong, and parents speak highly of the sensitive support the staff provide. Parents complete questionnaires, and the manager evaluates the results. She provides feedback to parents to make them aware their views and comments are valued.

Staff plan next steps to develop children's learning and skills. For example, children join in a play dough disco activity to develop their fine motor skills. Children are keen to help to make the play dough and take turns to stir the mixture.

Staff use the opportunity to introduce new words, and children follow instructions to poke, roll, squash, nip, splat, pat and squeeze the play dough.This helps to develop their hand and finger muscles in preparation for future writing.Children relish playing outside in the mud kitchen and are engrossed in filling wheelbarrows with mud.

They also use fine motor tools with pasta, rice and ice. Staff support language skills by narrating play and asking open-ended questions. However, staff do not consistently extend opportunities for all children to explore and investigate using all their senses.

For instance, by making malleable and sensory resources more accessible.Staff create family books with photographs of meaningful people in the children's lives. This helps instigate conversations and supports children to settle when they are new to the setting.

Staff promote oral hygiene routines. They provide toothbrushes and dental resources for children to practise their brushing skills. Staff encourage parents to register with a dentist to help ensure children have good dental health.

Staff delivered play packs to children during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep in touch and support home learning. The manager also collects items from a food distribution scheme, when it is available, to distribute to families in the setting. This supports children's health and well-being.

Staff support children who speak English as an additional language, using key words in their home language to help children communicate their needs. The manager has invested in a translator tool to ensure she can communicate with parents effectively and provides leaflets in a variety of languages. This ensures all parents can be involved in their children's learning.

The manager organises a school-readiness event for parents and teachers to support transitions and share information with feeder schools. This helps children move smoothly on to their next stage of learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff complete safeguarding training. They know the signs indicating that a child might be at risk and how to report their concerns. Staff know what action to take regarding allegations against adults.

Details of allergies and medical and dietary requirements are displayed in the setting to ensure all staff and children are safe and their individual needs are met. Risk assessments, care plans and accident reports are completed. The manager completes recruitment checks and gains clearance from the Disclosure and Baring Service.

Staff are registered with the update service for ongoing suitability checks. All staff have paediatric first-aid training.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend opportunities further for all children, including the youngest, to explore and investigate using all of their senses.