Holbrook Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children flourish at this pre-school setting.

Staff create a welcoming and nurturing environment. They help children and families feel valued and part of the pre-school. For instance, family photographs are displayed and photo albums created to celebrate the differences and similarities of each child's family.

This supports children's emotional well-being and gives them a sense of belonging. The relationship between children and staff is a strength of the pre-school. Children develop strong attachments with their key person, which helps them to feel safe, secure, and ready to learn.

Outdoor play is an integral... part of children's experiences while at the pre-school. Children take part in regular activities linked to forest school. They learn about keeping themselves safe.

For example, children know if staff shout one, two, three they must return to base. They have the freedom to explore the natural environment and take managed risks. For instance, children seek out their friends to roll down hills and use gardening tools to dig up the soil, searching for insects.

Staff are excellent role models for children. They demonstrate good manners, sharing and kindness. Children's behaviour is very positive.

Staff consistently help children to work with their peers and solve problems for themselves. For instance, children welcome their friends to join in with their activity. They cooperate and work together at the mud kitchen, making soup for staff and visitors.

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

Children's personal development is superbly promoted. They have access to experiences which help to provide them with an understanding of people, families and communities beyond their own. For instance, children regularly visit residents at a local care home.

They form special relationships and share activities, such as 'what's in the box'. The residents pick an item out of the box that represents a nursery rhyme, and they sing the rhyme together with the children. Furthermore, the residents knit teddy bears for the children.

The teddies join the children and their families on adventures. Children then share these experiences with staff and their peers.Staff support children to develop their mathematical knowledge.

They sequence and repeat activities to help to embed children's understanding. For example, staff provide experiences to encourage children to make predictions and comparisons. They measure children's height and record it on a chart.

Children compare their height to their friends' and use tape measures to find things that are taller or shorter than them.Staff go above and beyond to help prepare children for school. For instance, they use transition guidance and share ideas with parents for developing children's independence.

Pre-school staff take children to the school on a weekly basis to have lunch with the other children. They also watch school performances and sports days. This helps children become familiar with the school and the teachers.

Children are extremely well-behaved and are consistently praised by staff for acts of kindness and their achievements. This fills the children with great self-esteem. Staff involve children to create 'golden rules' for the pre-school.

This helps children to develop a deeper understanding of behavioural expectations.Staff say they feel valued and supported by leaders. They receive thorough induction training when they start employment.

This helps them to understand their role and responsibilities. The manager completes regular observations on staff's practice alongside supervision meetings. However, staff do not always receive targeted support and coaching to help them to further improve learning outcomes for children.

Parents speak highly of the homely and welcoming pre-school. They comment that they are privileged that their children attend. Parents appreciate the beneficial experiences their children receive through forest school activities and the outdoor learning approach.

They say that staff keep them up to date with their child's progress and next stages of learning. Furthermore, parents appreciate the support packs staff put together. These help children through challenging times, such as biting or moving house.

The special educational needs coordinator works with parents and external professionals to ensure the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are met. This joined-up approach helps to ensure that activities support children to learn and develop. Consideration is given to additional funding and it is used to directly support children's needs and to offer new experiences.

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: focus staff supervision and professional development more precisely on raising outcomes for children to the highest level.

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