Jumping Beans Pre-School Portland

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enthusiastically arrive in the morning. They enjoy the responsibility of independently hanging up their coats, putting their lunch boxes on the shelf and placing their water in the tray.

Staff are at hand to guide and encourage children. Children sit and play together with staff. Expectations are set by staff for the day ahead, such as helping children to learn to take turns and share with one another.

Children listen to familiar stories and are reminded of the rules to play safely and be friendly to others. Children feel safe. They initiate conversations with their key person and always receive a warm respons...e.

In turn, children are calm, gentle and friendly towards each other. Children confidently choose activities that they would like to do from the range of resources, that are carefully selected by staff, to support their development. They are proud of the work that they produce.

Outdoors, children experiment and use their imaginations. In the mud kitchen, they have fun making an imaginary 'slug cake'. Children talk about their baking and decide that it might taste 'a bit yucky' and negotiate with each other to make a 'sprinkle cake'.

Staff are at hand to give new ideas and resources, such as dried flower petals, that sustain children's interest in their play. Children say, 'I'm really enjoying being at nursery today'.

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

Leaders have a clear vision of developing children's readiness for their next stage of learning.

This includes building children's independence, imagination, and speech and language development. Staff encourage children to do things for themselves and provide resources that encourage children's curiosity and vocabulary.The new manager works closely with existing staff and has quickly established what is working well and what they would like the setting to do to develop further.

Leaders support their staff, providing regular feedback and managing their workload by giving staff time to complete training to further improve their practice. For example, staff have developed their knowledge of early writing development and have now introduced activities that encourage children to make marks using chalk and sand boards.Leaders make every effort to support families.

Leaders talk with parents when they drop off children in the morning. They let them know how their child is developing and talk about anything that will help parents with their child. Parents appreciate the help from leaders and say they would not want their child to attend any other setting.

Leaders prioritise the development of children's communication and language. They have set up routines that allow staff the opportunity to have lots of conversations with children. For example, staff eat their lunches with children and talk about what they enjoy.

Children like sharing what they have been doing during the day.Staff are focused on key skills that children need to develop to become ready for school. Children learn to independently manage themselves, for example by putting on their own aprons before painting.

They have lots of opportunity to develop their fine motor control and are confident controlling tools, such as scissors, to create their own artwork.Staff encourage children's talking in the garden by asking questions that prompt children to explore the natural environment by touching, feeling and smelling. Some children are able to say what they see and feel, but not all children have the vocabulary to be able to describe what they are sensing.

Staff monitor what children eat to make sure that they are eating a balanced diet at lunchtimes. However, children do not always understand which foods are healthy.All staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well.

Leaders and staff use their assessments of children to implement activities that will improve children's development. For example, they identify children that have difficulties pronouncing sounds and play games to teach them. Leaders work with external agencies and have plans to follow up on referrals to ensure children receive the timely support that they need.

Children feel cared for by staff. All staff are sensitive to the needs of children. They nurture children, talk at their level and care about each child's well-being.

When something goes wrong, children are confident to let a member of staff know and have developed trust that they will be there to help them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff know how to keep children safe.

They regularly attend training and have meetings to share what they have learned. They know how to identify the potential indicators that a child is at risk of harm. Staff are committed to protecting children and know what to do and who to contact if they have concerns.

The premises are secure and staff use risk assessments to ensure that all areas of the provision are safe for children. Recruitment procedures are in place and followed to make sure that those working with children are suitable.

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 extend children's vocabulary through play to help them develop knowledge and use of new language support children to understand how to make healthy choices around food.