Jelly Tots Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at this friendly setting. They benefit from a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities. For example, children enjoy singing, painting, and playing with shells in the sand.

Staff have lovely relationships with the children. They are respectful, kind, and know the children well. The setting is safe and well organised.

Robust daily routines and strong bonds with staff help children feel emotionally secure. Staff act as good role models and have high expectations of all children. They praise the children as they explore musical instruments and make reindeer dust using oats and glitter....

Children are encouraged to take turns and play cooperatively together. Their behaviour is good.Children benefit from daily fresh air and exercise in the enclosed garden.

Support for children's physical development is good. Children climb, slide and balance on a range of equipment. This helps support their developing poise and coordination.

Children paint on large pieces of paper, practising physical skills that will eventually support their early writing. Staff help the children make healthy choices as part of a well-established daily routine. For example, they choose from milk or water to drink, and from a range of healthy fruit and vegetables at snack time.

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

Staff work hard to help new children settle. They distract them if they are upset and provide plenty of support and cuddles. The confidence and self-esteem of all children are supported well.

They are helped to become increasingly independent. For example, children are encouraged to fetch their coats and choose what they would like to play with. They register their own names at the beginning of the day and pour their drinks at mealtimes.

Strong relationships with parents help to create a consistent approach to support for children's learning. For example, parents are encouraged to extend learning at home by borrowing books and sharing ideas for activities. Parents speak highly of the setting and the care their children receive.

The setting has formed good relationships with partner professionals. Staff attend meetings to review children's progress and follow agreed strategies to help support children with additional needs effectively. Staff from the setting share information with the local school.

This helps provide a smooth move for all children to the next stage in their learning.Support for children's developing communication and language skills is good. Staff give clear instructions and introduce new vocabulary.

For example, they explain clearly and calmly what to do as they make dough with the children and discuss names of ingredients. Staff encourage the children to use their senses as they explore the dough. They talk about whether it is sticky or dry and encourage the children to smell the peppermint that is added.

The quality of teaching is good. The well-qualified staff are supported effectively in their roles through observations of practice and meetings with managers. There is, however, scope to raise quality further through a greater focus on teaching and learning in staff's continuous professional development.

The manager gathers the views of parents and children to help evaluate the setting. She uses this information well to help plan future improvements.Children learn about colour and number through play and general opportunities throughout the day.

For example, they count the number of children present and discuss the colour of cups at snack time. They count the spoons of flour they place into the dough mix and learn concepts such as 'more' and 'less', and how to stir 'fast' and 'slow'. Overall, children are enthusiastic and engaged in their learning.

There are opportunities, however, to review the structure of group times to better support children's learning and focus.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good awareness of how to keep children safe.

For example, they warn the children not to put raw ingredients in their mouths and encourage them to walk rather than run inside. They encourage children to move around the secure setting safely and keep toys tidy so that they don't trip. Managers and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities around safeguarding.

They know how to identify any concerns with children or staff, what procedures to take and who to contact. Managers and staff stay up to date with procedures to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance professional development to include a greater focus on teaching and learning in order to raise the quality of teaching still further review the structure of group times to better support children's learning and focus.