Little Sheep Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children arrive happily and keen to come into the pre-school.

Staff greet them warmly. They offer cuddles to new children who are still settling in to make them feel secure. Children quickly build the confidence to explore and play independently.

Staff provide a curriculum that focuses on some children's key skills, such as independence and thinking for themselves. For instance, they encourage younger children to work out which cars will fit down a tube and which will not. Older children are posed problems such as, 'how can you arrange the slopes so cars go faster?'.

Children show critical thinking and perseveran...ce to find answers to questions. However, the staff do not consistently plan, adapt and deliver a curriculum that meets all younger children's individual learning needs. For example, although staff know children well, the quality and number of interactions and support offered for younger children is not consistent.

Progress for these children is not as swift as it could be. Additionally, younger children's care and learning needs are not always met as well as the older children, for example, during snack and mealtimes. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour.

They support children to understand the consequences of their actions and the impact on others. They remind children of the rules of using 'kind hands' and role model saying please and thank you. Children are kind and interact well with staff and children.

For instance, they bring children books to read and ask them to join in their play.

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

Staff do not plan the curriculum carefully enough to consistently support younger children's progress. They know what they want children to learn and select relevant next steps.

However, they do not always plan for and adapt activities to meet younger children's needs. For instance, some children are engaged by activities inside but when they play outside staff have not thought about what children may want to do. At these times, children become restless and upset and are not engaged in purposeful learning.

Children learn how to keep themselves healthy through daily routines. For instance, they learn to wash their hands after visiting the bathroom and before meals. Staff offer nutritional foods at snack time and talk about which foods are good for us.

However, some younger children are not supported to access these foods or learn to join mealtimes. As a result, some children do not eat or drink regularly and become unsettled later in the day.Children develop a love of books and an interest in the print around them.

Staff read stories using lively and engaging voices. Children sit and listen, joining in with parts of the story they know. Children enjoy learning to recognise their name and the names of their friends at 'welcome time'.

Children choose to sit with books and retell the stories to their friends and staff.Staff focus on building children's communication and language skills. They repeat words back to children to model correct pronunciation.

Children copy their words and use them accurately in their play. Children with English as an additional language learn words in both their own languages and English to support their speech development and understanding.Children have regular trips into the local community.

For example, they go to the local park and on walks to find places where 'people who help us' work, such as the police and fire stations. Children benefit from these experiences that builds their confidence outside the pre-school and teaches them about road safety.Leaders do not effectively use the supervision and monitoring of staff's practice.

They conduct regular observations, identify weaknesses and feedback to staff. However, relevant training for staff is not put in place quickly enough. Staff do not have the best knowledge and understanding to meet the specific needs of the children they care for.

For instance, staff do not receive training for younger children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, children receive inconsistent interactions and do not make the best possible progress at all times.Staff regularly communicate with parents.

For instance, they add 'wow' moments to Tapestry when children have mastered a new skill. They offer settling in sessions for new children and contact the parents throughout the day with pictures and messages so they know their child is happy. Parents say they feel supported and confident to chat to staff if they had any concerns about their child.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date develop the planning and delivery of the curriculum to meet all children's individual needs and ensure they make better progress 03/04/2025 improve the organisation of snack and lunchtimes so all children develop healthy eating habits and have timely access to nutritional foods and drinks 03/04/2025 provide support and coaching to develop the quality and consistency of staff's teaching and interactions, to fully meet children's care and learning needs at all times.

03/04/2025