Jellitots Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting. They arrive confident and eager to learn, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure. Staff place great importance in nurturing children's individual characteristics.

As a result, children feel valued and develop high levels of self-esteem.Children behave well. They respond to staff informing them it is 'tidy-up time', and anticipate the 'rumba,' music to indicate this time.

Children demonstrate a positive attitude to staff's requests and staff are good role models, who make their expectations clear. Staff use every opportunity to reinforce language and extend and ...model vocabulary to children. They support children's speech and language development well, providing them with the skills to be effective communicators.

They commentate on children's play and model language well, simplifying or providing more complex questions depending on children's individual learning needs. Staff introduce children to new vocabulary and explain what words and phrases mean. For example, when staff in conversation with children talked about something being 'occupied', children are confident to ask what this word means.

Children enjoy being outdoors, where they have plenty of opportunities to be active and explore the environment. They take part in activities to help develop their physical skills. For example, they ride a variety of wheeled vehicles, practise activities in readiness for sports day, and scoop, and dig in the sandpit.

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

Staff have a good understanding of their curriculum and how children learn. They plan a rich and varied selection of well-organised activities to encourage children to explore and build on what they already know. This helps children to make good progress.

Children are developing their independence skills. Older children confidently set the table, in readiness for snack time. They serve themselves fruit for snack time.

In addition, they competently pour drinks from milk or water jugs and help to tidy away afterwards. Toddlers help to tidy away toys and resources ready for the next activity.Partnerships with parents are strong.

Parents feel supported with how to help their children at home. They receive regular updates about their children's learning through the online application which they speak about positively.Staff work collaboratively and comment that they are supported well by the leadership team.

The experienced leadership team observe and monitor staff's performance regularly. However, with changes to staffing the leadership team recognise they are not yet monitoring staff practice closely enough to focus support on helping them to build on their professional development. They have identified how they can particularly enhance the training staff receive to focus more precisely on raising the quality of teaching to the highest level.

Children receive good support as they get ready to move on to the next stages in their lives and school. Staff share detailed reports with parents, meet teachers and support children in their school visits. This helps children feel very secure and ready for the next stage of their learning.

A strong key-person system is in place. All staff in this small, nurturing setting know the families and children very well and chat to children about home life and activities. For example, staff talk to children about recent trips, such as camping trips, visits to the beach and to the circus.

Leaders work well together to support staff in identifying any gaps in children's learning. When children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, (SEND), leaders work confidently with other professionals to implement effective strategies to provide early intervention where required. This supports all children, including children with SEND, children with English as an additional language and those in receipt of additional funding, to make good progress in their learning.

Children are motivated to explore and investigate, and overall show good levels of curiosity and concentration. However, the organisation of some times during the day could be further improved to ensure that children remain focused and engaged. For example, during some longer and larger group activities some children find it difficult to maintain their interest.

Staff support children to follow good personal hygiene routines. Children recall why they need to wash their hands after outdoor play or before eating food. Staff discuss the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle with children discussing why some foods are better than others, and the importance of good oral health.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The leadership team ensures that staff have a good understanding of the setting's safeguarding policy and they keep their training up to date. Staff recognise signs and symptoms that would cause them to be concerned for a child's welfare.

They know how to identify children that may be exposed to extreme views. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have about any children or the adults they encounter. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff use risk assessments to help minimise potential hazards and maintain a safe environment. They are deployed well to meet the needs of the children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the monitoring of staff practice so that all staff receive coaching and professional development opportunities to raise the quality of education to an even higher level review the organisation and timings of large-group activities to ensure that all children are consistently well supported.