Halebank Pre-school Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff provide a warm welcome to children and their families. They get to know children incredibly well. Staff gather detailed information about each child's experiences and routines when they first start to attend.

This enables staff to adapt the provision to meet the unique needs of each child. Children welcome staff into their play and consistently demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in their care. They clearly develop close and trusting relationships with the nurturing staff team.

Staff have high expectations. They develop a broad and balanced curriculum that focuses on developing children's personal, social ...and emotional skills in readiness for future learning. Staff recognise the importance of children developing positive attitudes towards their learning.

They use their knowledge of children's interests to help entice and motivate them in their learning. For example, staff recognise that some children like to play with water. They skilfully introduce mathematical concepts, such as capacity, as children compare the amount of water in different containers.

Opportunities such as these support children to learn in a way that they enjoy. Children are taught to recognise the impact of their behaviour on others. Staff are effective role models.

They remind children of the importance of sharing toys and speaking kindly to their friends. All children are very well behaved.

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

Staff reflect on the quality of their provision in order to enhance children's experiences.

They observe how children use the environment, and make adaptations. Recent changes to the book area have resulted in children choosing to share books and stories more regularly. This enables children to practise important skills, such as turning the pages of books and talking about the pictures.

Children are developing a love of literacy.Staff know children well. They observe and assess what children can do in order to plan for their future learning.

That said, on occasion, when implementing activities, staff do not always consider children's current stage of development. They sometimes provide activities that are too ambitious. As a result, children lose interest and do not fully engage in the learning opportunity.

Staff provide a wealth of experiences that children may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. For example, children harvest fruit and vegetables that they have planted and cared for. They recall labelling each plant to help them to remember what they are.

Children point to pictures and excitedly say 'I know we planted blueberries here'. Children are supported to recall past learning and apply it in new situations.Children's healthy lifestyles are promoted well.

The setting has gardens that children eagerly access throughout the day. Staff focus on teaching healthy practices, such as good hygiene and oral health. Children enjoy a range of nutritious snacks, and staff conscientiously and carefully follow children's dietary requirements.

Children are beginning to understand the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle.Partnerships with parents and other professionals are good. Staff quickly recognise when children might need additional support.

They talk with parents and put in place interventions to make sure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress. Parents speak highly of the support they receive, and discuss how staff support them to better understand their children's development. Parents are supported to contribute towards their child's learning at home in a consistent way.

Staff feel well supported. They receive coaching and staff supervision opportunities to help them fulfil their roles. Professional development opportunities are carefully targeted to enhance staff knowledge and skills.

Staff value the emphasis placed on supporting their well-being. This helps to ensure that the needs of staff are met effectively.The use of additional funding is carefully targeted and monitored to best support children.

For example, funding has been used to provide an outside classroom. This quiet area is used to implement a range of focused communication and language programmes. This effective support means that gaps in children's communication and language often close before referral appointments are issued.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to consistently implement the curriculum in a sequential way so that children can build more precisely on their learning.

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