Ladybirds at St Barnabas

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive eager and excited to go to pre-school. They settle quickly and explore the environment with interest.

Staff manage transitions into the setting very well. For example, children who arrive after lunch have time to play and are slowly joined by the other children when they have finished their lunch.Children show that they are relaxed and at ease throughout the day.

Staff build good relationships with children, who are eager to take part in activities. For example, they mix a range of materials such as foam and water to make Halloween 'potions'. Staff talk to them about what they are making and what they h...ave done for Halloween.

They repeat the activity when children have shown a keen interest, helping the children to explore and repeat their ideas.Children play well together and have good behaviour. Staff support them positively when they have shown good listening skills.

For example, they give them an encouraging thumbs up and smile as they praise them. Children manage turn taking and waiting well throughout the day. For instance, children excitedly join the activity to paint leaves.

They wait patiently for staff to help each child who has shown an interest. For some children, this develops into painting their hands. Staff support children well to explore their own ideas and interests during this time.

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

The committee and manager are committed to continue to develop the setting for children. They consult with other professionals for guidance and support to ensure that they continue raise the quality of the provision. The committee members have a secure knowledge of their role to support the manager and staff.

The manager supports staff effectively. Staff report that they have opportunities to develop their skills.Staff have a good understanding of children's learning needs and personalities.

They know individual children well, such as those with quieter personalities. However, the support for children who speak English as an additional language does not fully extend to include how children can develop their home language within the setting.The new special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works well with the manager to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who require additional support.

They have made the appropriate referrals to external agencies for specialist support. Children with SEND receive appropriate support to help them make progress.The manager has a strong understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children.

Together with the staff, they structure their curriculum around key areas to help extend children's skills. For example, support for communication and language and personal, social and emotional development is in place. However, some of the key aims are not consistently implemented throughout the day to maximise children's progress.

Children have high levels of emotional well-being. They play well together and know the routines of the setting. This helps staff to care for children's individual preferences and care needs.

For example, they carefully support the youngest children to learn to drink from age-appropriate cups. They take small steps to give children confidence to achieve.Partnership working with parents is good.

Staff share what children have been learning at the setting and provide information to help children's development at home. Parents report that their children are happy at the setting and that staff are caring and supportive.Children develop the skills to support them to be ready to move on to the next stage of learning at school.

For example, children confidently approach staff for help and demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning. For example, children learn to work together, such as building tall foam brick towers, taking turns to knock them down.Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills at pre-school.

The large space is set up to help children to build their large-muscle skills. They balance on beams and climb steps to the slide. Children have opportunities to build on these skills further, such as during playtime in the garden.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager has reviewed and implemented changes since the last inspection to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively. There are now secure procedures in place to ensure that all committee members have all suitability checks completed.

Staff attend regular training. They are aware of what may cause concern about the welfare of a child. This includes how to identify concerns about radicalisation and female genital mutilation.

Staff know the action to take if they have concerns about a child. They know what to do if they have concerns about the practice of a member of staff and the procedures to follow.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nincrease the opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to have opportunities to develop their home language in the setting, to further their development strengthen staff practice around the curriculum to consistently implement key aims, particularly for communication and language, to support children's progress further.