Little Teapots Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are highly engaged and motivated learners. On arrival, they eagerly immerse themselves in activities and conversations.

Children are keen to help staff and take responsibility for tasks. For instance, they prepare snack for the group by cutting up fruit and vegetables. Children explore items with curiosity.

They examine cause and effect as they tap the keys of a typewriter, watching the letter hammers move, and practise winding the paper reel. Children excitedly post their letters, in the real postbox outside, and talk about receiving them at home.Children, including those with special educational needs... and/or disabilities, make superb progress from their starting points and develop a substantial range of skills to support their future education.

Staff have an earnest belief in each child's ability to achieve. They work incredibly hard to provide children with stimulating, purposeful opportunities to learn. Children's personal and emotional development is excellent.

They display extremely high levels of happiness and well-being throughout the day, showing how secure and safe they feel. Children develop strong, warm relationships with staff and confidently seek them out for assistance and comfort. Their social skills flourish and they form firm friendships.

Older children resolve disagreements between themselves in a fair way.

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

The manager and her staff meticulously review their practice with a high level of detail. They actively seek out training, new ideas and approaches to enhance children's experiences.

The manager uses sharply targeted action plans and observations of staff teaching to systematically track and monitor changes. They all skilfully use this information to evaluate and further improve their work. As a result, the environment provided for children is inspirational and highly responsive to their learning needs and interests.

Recent changes include re-arranging furniture to support the youngest children to reach resources. In addition, they have implemented new approaches for staff to plan, teach and observe activities.Staff use highly effective partnerships with parents and other professionals to share information and promote a coordinated approach to children's development.

Parents report feeling 'very supported' by the 'wonderful' staff. They particularly appreciate the regular updates and opportunities to discuss children's progress, as well as the ability to take library books and resources home.Children develop a strong knowledge of other cultures.

They understand that countries may have different languages and they show a deep interest in learning key words. Children count in Japanese and English, and greet staff in different languages such as Italian and Portuguese. Staff encourage children to celebrate their differences.

As a result, children eagerly share their stories and special experiences from home, such as a visiting grandparent or the excitement of knowing the correct number on their advent calendar.Staff challenge traditional gender stereotypes and champion children's uniqueness. They encourage boys to join in with cooking and caring activities and enthusiastically invite girls to investigate and experiment with a range of resources.

Parents comment on the variety of visitors and outings and how they have 'broadened their children's life experiences'. Children talk about baking activities with enthusiasm and recall, with warmth, visits to the residents of a nearby care home.Staff skilfully use everyday opportunities to build children's mathematical skills.

They prompt children to think about 'how many more' they need to reach a bigger number. Staff model mathematical vocabulary to describe the weight, volume and quantity of items. Children talk about the fullness of containers as they transfer rice using spoons and scoops.

They identify the 'biggest' and 'smallest' tins and talk about how they need more rice to fill the big tin.Children have plentiful opportunities for cosy, restful moments. They make use of the pre-school's 'bed boxes', filled with cushions and blankets, to read books.

Children develop a deep love of reading and frequently ask staff to read to them. They request their favourites 'again, again!', delighted by the animated way staff tell the stories.Staff are very talented at encouraging children to share their ideas and apply critical thinking.

Children are inquisitive and enjoy experimentation. They are eager to test out different ways to work tools and create stronger structures. Staff use praise to recognise children's efforts and achievements.

They also involve children in evaluating activities using picture cards and discussions. This helps children to take ownership of and develop a positive attitude to learning.Children delight in a variety of interesting physical and sensory experiences.

They squeeze and squash jelly, make patterns in shaving foam and create obstacle courses in the garden. Staff encourage children to think about the level of risk and help to decide the rules for playing safely. For example, children talk about how they can use equipment in wet weather and how high they can safely climb on a short ladder.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a robust knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They have an excellent understanding of the process to report any concerns about the welfare of a child.

Staff know the whistle-blowing policy and procedure for reporting allegations or concerns about the behaviour of an adult. The manager ensures staff and committee members keep their knowledge up to date. Staff regularly attend training and have briefings during staff meetings.

Committee members also access appropriate training. When appointing new staff, the committee and manager follow thorough recruitment processes. This ensures staff are suitable and have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles in the setting.