Goring Little Fishes

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show that they feel happy, safe and secure in the attentive staff's care. They eagerly take part in activities that are set out for them and choose where they would like to play.

For instance, children excitedly make pretend ice creams using sand and a selection of attractive resources. Staff encourage children to take turns during their play and praise their interactions with each other. This helps them to understand how to play together cooperatively.

Staff understand the children's learning needs very well. They plan stimulating activities based on their changing interests. For instance, a fascination with ...water is very well used to help children learn new words, such as 'floating' and 'sinking'.

Staff plan fun activities to help children recognise numbers. For example, children have fun fishing for numbered ducks and concentrate for sustained periods of time.Children take part in interesting experiences as part of a varied curriculum.

For instance, they become very excited when they have ducks and small birds visiting the pre-school. During this time, staff introduce words, such as 'gentle' and 'kind'. They continue to talk about caring attitudes and behaviours during the day.

This further helps to support children's understanding of how to behave well and treat each other with respect.

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

The new manager is passionate and dedicated to delivering the best possible outcomes for children. She is a good role model for staff and children.

For instance, she spends time working alongside the staff and having fun conversations with children. Staff have regular meetings about children's individual needs and routinely implement ideas to support their learning.The curriculum is well thought out and builds on children's interests and what they already know.

Staff provide children with a wide range of interesting activities, and children are confident to use all the areas available to them. Children are inquisitive and eager to learn. Some enjoy discovering the sounds that musical instruments make, and others demonstrate their balancing skills on the climbing frame.

Staff monitor children's abilities and observe them. They provide assistance as needed. This helps to ensure that children are safe, for example when using the physical apparatus.

On the whole, staff plan activities very well. However, at times, they do not make the best use of the large-group sessions for older children. During this time, staff sing songs and read stories.

Some children become distracted and lose interest as it takes too long to settle the children. This interrupts the story and means that learning opportunities, meaningful discussions and extension of learning may be lost.Staff provide high levels of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The special educational needs coordinators deliver specific fun activities to help children's speech and language development. They work closely with parents and specialists to ensure that individual needs are met. Children with SEND form secure relationships with staff and make good progress.

Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. For instance, staff obtain keywords used by children. They use recording devices, pictures and cards to help children make connections between their home language and English.

Staff have received additional training in supporting children's attention and listening skills. Children enjoy taking part in the specific small-group teaching time. As a result, children's skills for their ongoing learning, such as for starting school, are supported.

The manager uses funding effectively to support children's learning and enrich their experiences. For instance, children visit the library and the beach. Staff provide books for children to take home.

This helps to support early reading. At the beach, they enjoy picnics and playing games. Parents are also invited to these outings, where they and staff can play alongside their children.

Parents speak highly about the staff. They say that their child's language has increased since starting at the pre-school and that their children are always happy to attend. They like the outdoor play experiences offered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. They know what to do if they have concerns about children's welfare.

Staff are confident of their duty to follow up on concerns as needed. The manager knows how to access the service provided by the local authority to discuss any safeguarding concerns and how to make a referral if necessary. The manager confidently works with the local authority to provide support for families.

She has a secure understanding of how to recruit robustly. Children learn how to keep themselves safe when using physical play equipment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop a more consistent approach to teaching to help raise the quality of learning to the highest level, particularly in large-group activities.