Little Fields Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children transition well to this warm and inviting pre-school.

They become quickly engaged in an exciting learning environment. Children confidently choose from a wide range of toys and activities which are based around their interests. They become immersed in creating meals for their friends in the home corner, using real food such as pasta and bananas.

Staff encourage discussions about healthy foods as they play, helping children to learn and understand the importance of healthy eating.Children behave well at the pre-school. Staff have high expectations and encourage positive behaviour with plenty of praise.

...>Children learn and follow golden rules, that emphasise the importance of being kind to everyone. They are familiar with routines as they listen to the tambourine to indicate time to tidy away the toys. Staff act as positive role models as they support children to use their manners, such as saying please and thank you.

Children have a strong sense of belonging in the setting. At the start of the day, they self-register, finding their own name. They build positive relationships with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure.

Family pictures and self-portraits are displayed, which helps children to understand what makes them unique.

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

Staff deliver a broad and ambitious curriculum that focuses on children becoming independent and confident individuals. Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of how children learn and know what they need to learn next.

Planned learning experiences are sequenced and designed to help children build on what they already know. This helps children to make good progress in their learning and development.Staff place a strong emphasis on communication and language development.

They narrate children's play to help build on their speaking skills and ask questions to enhance and extend their learning. Children use complex language as they describe the movement of a watermill as 'spinning' during water play. Stories play a key role in children's learning, helping them to develop a love for books.

Children engage in a variety of purposeful learning activities. They are familiar with the daily routine which is well planned. However, sometimes during transition times, such as preparing to go outside, staff do not always provide meaningful learning opportunities.

At these times, children sometimes lose focus and become distracted.Parents are highly complimentary of the pre-school. They comment that staff are welcoming and kind and provide a safe and secure environment for their children.

Parents are well informed about their children's learning. They are supported to continue their children's learning at home with termly activities such as collecting items for autumn bags.Staff use opportunities to promote children's independence in self-care tasks throughout the day.

Children know when they must wash their hands and learn to put on their coats. Snack time provides an opportunity for children to serve their own fruit using tongs, pour their own drinks and wash up their plates when they have finished.Overall, staff supervise children well.

They deliver skilled interactions and get down to the children's level, supporting their play. However, at times, particularly when children are outside, staff do not always recognise the needs of the children. This means that, occasionally, some children become upset and do not fully benefit from the outdoor activities on offer.

The team works effectively together, and staff share a focus to ensure that children have the best possible start to their education. The manager monitors staff practice and staff well-being is supported with regular one-to-one sessions. Focused training opportunities help staff to continually build on their knowledge and skills.

Staff collaborate with a range of external agencies to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the focused support they need. Strong links have been established with the on-site school. Staff ensure that the progressive curriculum matches the school nursery's to fully support children as they transition.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of transitions during the day to ensure that children are more consistently engaged in learning opportunities nensure that staff recognise the individual needs of children to enhance their overall benefit of outdoor activities.

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