Learning Land Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy being at the pre-school and show that they feel safe and secure. Staff use the key-person system well and build good partnerships with parents. They obtain thorough information about children's needs and development when children first start attending.

Staff have high expectations and continue to assess children's development, using this information to plan activities that enable children to extend their knowledge. Children have many opportunities to practise new skills and to build on their own learning. For example, children enjoy role play related to hospitals.

Staff leave out these resources and chil...dren develop their play to include baby clinics. They go on to wash dolls and discuss good hygiene. This is then reflected in discussions and in the books they read with staff.

Children are motivated and concentrate on their activities. For instance, children playing with the 'super hero city' check the numbers on toy vehicles and park them correctly in the numbered buildings. They respond to the encouragement from staff and are proud of their achievements.

Staff are positive role models and children mirror their example. Children demonstrate that they understand right and wrong and are polite and kind. For example, they pass each other toys and competently organise turn taking.

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

Staff ensure that they understand children's experiences and build on these to offer activities that support children's ability to learn. For example, children enjoy many opportunities to participate in discussions, enabling them to explain their thoughts and to communicate appropriately. This particularly supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

Children have many opportunities to make marks and to develop the skills that support writing. For example, they use spray bottles to help develop their grip. Children frequently use notebooks and clipboards, for example, to write 'prescriptions' during role play.

Children enjoy many play opportunities that are linked to their interests. Staff are particularly skilled in this planning. For example, they provide resources associated with a new children's film.

Children develop their creativity and physical skills as they dress up as characters from the film, organise a ball and dance. They create their own stories as they play with a castle and pretend snow.Children are supported well in developing a love of reading.

They access books in all areas of the room and use props to act-out favourite stories. Staff read to children with enjoyment and enthusiasm. Children thoroughly enjoy group stories and eagerly participate in rhyme sessions.

Staff offer children explanations and support them in learning how to keep themselves safe. For example, children understand why they need to walk inside and why it is important to leave one another space when using large play equipment.Managers support staff well and ensure that their workloads are manageable.

Staff report that they enjoy their work. They access a good range of training opportunities and managers support them to use their new knowledge and develop their teaching skills.Managers and staff build effective partnerships with parents and other professionals and childcare settings.

They regularly update parents on what their children have been doing at pre-school and offer individual, practical suggestions about how to build on this at home.Children listen well and understand how to follow instructions. For instance, they listen as a staff member sings their name and rolls a ball to them.

They then follow her instructions as they roll the ball back.Staff do not consistently offer as many outdoor opportunities in order to fully extend the development of children who prefer to play and learn outside.Children enjoy exploring the toys and resources.

Staff generally encourage children to think further. However, this is not consistent. On occasions, staff do not make the best use of opportunities that support children in learning to solve the problems they encounter as they talk and play.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding. They complete regular training and review safeguarding at staff meetings and supervision sessions.

Staff understand how to identify and report any concerns about children's welfare. They have a secure awareness of the risks posed to children by exposure to extreme views or practices. Robust checks ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff take effective action to protect children from any risk posed by use of the internet. They help children to understand these risks and also provide relevant information to parents.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the use of outdoor areas to offer children who prefer to learn outside further play and learning opportunities nextend the opportunities that encourage children to consider the problems they encounter as they play and find solutions to these.

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