High Wych Pre-School Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time in the pre-school. They embrace opportunities to immerse themselves in imaginary play. Children climb into a box to protect themselves from a 'sea monster' wriggling on the floor.

Other children search for jungle animals and bugs using magnifying glasses. Throughout their explorations and games, children expand their developing vocabularies. Staff introduce new words and phrases, encouraging children to embellish their own sentences.

Older children benefit from dedicated adult-led activities that help strengthen their skills in preparation for school. For example, they create repetitive patter...ns using wooden shapes, helping to strengthen their mathematical development. Children's positive attitudes shine through.

They show concern when younger children seem upset, offering to sit and play with them.Children behave exceptionally well. They respect and follow the clear guidelines set by staff and enthusiastically explain to visitors the reasons why rules are made.

Children demonstrate they recognise some risks and are beginning to learn how to keep themselves safe. They explain that when they visit a neighbouring field they must wear a reflective vest. Children say they must only talk to other children or adults wearing the same colour and style of jacket.

Children understand that they can trust people they recognise from pre-school to help to keep them safe.

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

The manager and staff make continual improvements to the quality of care and education they provide. They value the feedback they receive from parents, children and other professionals, helping them identify areas to review.

The manager sets action plans and staff contribute ideas of how they can make changes that benefit the children.The key-person system is effective. Staff work very closely with parents to find out what children can already do and understand.

Regular conversations with parents help staff gather information about the progress children make at home. This helps staff make accurate judgements about children's development, allowing them to build on the achievements and understanding children have gained.The manager allocates effectively the additional funding some children receive.

This helps them develop the essential attitudes, skills and understanding they will need in their future education through new and memorable activities.Children's emotional well-being is prioritised by the sensitive and caring staff. Bespoke arrangements are made to help children settle in to the pre-school when they first start to attend.

For example, some children may be dropped off or collected before others, helping to reduce children's anxieties.Children enjoy their time outside. They enthusiastically sing songs on their daily 'wakey walk' in a neighbouring field.

Staff adapt the walk, introducing listening skills and opportunities to find out about the plants that grow there. Children giggle while running on the grass and playing jumping games.The manager and committee work hard to ensure that staff are happy and feel supported in their work.

Regular chats, supervision and time set aside for staff to plan, reflect and complete administrative tasks are effective.The manager ensures the well-qualified staff continue to expand their already excellent knowledge and understanding of how to teach and support children. Staff share new information and ideas they gather through training and reading professional publications with the team, helping to strengthen the quality of education for all children.

The manager sets rotas to help ensure all tasks are completed. For example, staff take turns to check the outside area is safe for children to access and that the daily register is maintained.The hall is a welcoming and bright environment for children.

Staff find creative ways to use portable, low dividing screens to provide areas for children to focus on quieter activities, spaces to relax and spaces for more physical activities. They display posters and pictures on the screens to help support children's awareness of letters, numbers, emotions and routines.Staff make plans that focus on children's progress.

They add challenges to help children build on what they already know. They generally use questions to spark children's curiosity and desire to have a go. However, for short periods and at certain times of the day, staff interrupt children's experiments and explorations to join more routine, and less stimulating, activities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to identify and report concerns about children's safety and well-being. They know who they need to speak to and know where to find the contact details of appropriate agencies.

Members of the management committee follow robust recruitment procedures they have put in place to help ensure that all staff and volunteers are suitable to work in the pre-school. The manager and staff continually review the possible risks when they take children to public spaces, such as the park and library.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review and adapt daily activities to maximise the time children have to expand their knowledge through even more exciting, memorable and meaningful activities.