Little Argonauts Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children come into pre-school happy and are greeted warmly. As a result, they are confident to separate from their parents with ease. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in their surroundings.

Staff are positive role models and are very caring.Children behave well and show a good understanding of the pre-school expectations. For example, children discuss the rules and why they are important.

Children learn how to share and take turns. Staff support children to manage their own feelings and emotions. Children are encouraged to be independent.

For example, they wash their own hands and try to put... on dressing-up clothes in the role-play area. Staff support children as they learn to make choices during their play.Staff observe and assess children effectively and clearly identify their next steps in learning.

They also take into account the mixed ages and abilities and plan for each group separately. This means that children make good progress in their learning. Children are eager to join in and quickly choose an activity from the variety made available to them.

Children are curious as they explore. For example, they investigate a collection of pine cones. They ask questions about their shape and where they come from and look at pictures of squirrels.

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

The staff team work hard to maintain strong partnerships with parents, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff work closely with them to find out about their children when they first start. They use an online system which shows what the children have done in pre-school.

Staff carry out observations and assessments and use them to ensure children make good progress.The manager supports the staff team to develop their own skills and knowledge. She monitors staff well and they have a wide variety of training opportunities.

This strengthens their knowledge further. Staff comment that they feel well supported. They receive regular supervision meetings to support their professional development.

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how their children learn and develop. They gather information about children and their interests from home during their initial visits. They then use this information to provide a wide range of activities.

Staff develop children's mathematical skills through play. They support learning and provide more challenge wherever possible. For example, children count how many scoops of sand they need to fill a container.

They discuss the size and shape of the containers. Older children use vocabulary, such as 'full' and 'empty' as they play.Children develop the essential skills that they need in readiness for school.

For example, they develop independence as staff encourage and support children to attempt tasks. At snack time, they attempt to peel their own fruit and pour their own water or milk.Children go outside often during the day and enjoy physical play.

They develop balancing skills on tyres and crates. They go up steps on the slide and climb on the climbing frame. They are confident running and jumping in the large garden area.

Children use scissors for junk modelling and are starting to make good progress using one-handed tools. Older children are developing a comfortable grip when using pencils and crayons as they draw and write.Children sing songs and rhymes and happily join in with the actions as they sing about 'the wheels on the bus'.

Children enjoy looking at books. Older children recognise familiar stories and join in with repeated phrases. However, staff do not consistently model vocabulary or explain the meaning of new words to further extend and strengthen children's understanding.

Staff plan a good range of activities that engage children's imagination. Children explore dinosaurs in sand and make a pretend 'volcano' together. However, younger children do not have as many opportunities to explore a range of different textures and materials.

Children enjoy taking part in additional activities led by outside professionals, such as drama sessions. This helps to extend and support children's imaginations.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The premises are safe, clean and secure. The provider ensures appropriate risk assessments are implemented effectively by staff and this minimises any risks to children. Staff are all first-aid trained.

The provider has created a positive safeguarding culture. The manager and staff team recognise the signs of abuse and neglect. They know the local referral procedures and appropriate professionals to refer to if they have a concern.

Recruitment and vetting procedures are robust and there is a thorough induction process in place. The supervision process ensures all staff remain suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide all children with opportunities to explore different textures and materials in their play help staff to understand how to fully extend and model new vocabulary to further promote children's understanding of words.