Little Valers Pre-school Committee

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and secure in the care of the experienced staff, who are nurturing and friendly. All children make good progress in their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They gain a secure foundation for their future learning and are well prepared for when they start school.

They have a clear understanding of the high behaviour expectations set by staff and follow instructions. Children play together harmoniously and learn to manage their feelings and any frustrations they have. Staff help them to successfully resolve conflict.

Children have good levels of indepen...dence and manage their own personal care routines well. They confidently access their own belongings to prepare for outdoor play and going home. Children progress well with their early literacy skills.

They know that print conveys meaning and ask staff to read to them the signs they see around the school premises. They enjoy opportunities to listen to stories and enjoy opportunities to visit the school library, where they access books for themselves. Children eagerly experiment with mark making and identify the sounds they can hear in words.

They gain good mathematical understanding skills and recognise a small total without counting. They confidently use the language of time as they play the game 'What's the time Mr Wolf?' and count the number of steps they make.

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

Leaders reflect well on the service they provide and identify aspects of the pre-school to develop further.

For example, they are currently enhancing the provision for children's outdoor play. Leaders monitor the quality of teaching and learning effectively, and provide staff with the guidance and coaching they need. However, the professional development opportunities for staff are not targeted precisely to help them to extend further their good teaching skills to achieve the highest level of learning for children.

Partnership working is strong. The manager and staff work closely with the on-site primary school to help provide continuity for children when they move to the Reception class. Staff successfully engage parents in their child's learning and help to support children's continued learning at home.

Parents appreciate the learning packs that staff provide for them to use with their children at home and the opportunity to borrow books.Staff know children's individual needs and interests well. They have a good understanding of children's achievements and what they need to learn next.

They plan well to identify how to help children to progress successfully on to the next stage of their learning. Staff work closely with other professionals involved in children's care to plan and implement targeted interventions to meet the development needs of children with SEND. Leaders have a good overview of the progress that individuals and groups of children make.

They use this information to identify areas where children need further support. For example, they have been focusing on helping children gain the fine muscle strength they need in preparation for writing.Staff plan a wide range of valuable learning experiences that children enjoy.

However, some aspects of the daily routine slightly limit opportunities for children to make their own decisions about their play and learning, and to challenge their thinking skills. This said, children engage well in a range of activities that they enjoy. They listen attentively and have good levels of concentration.

Staff support children's communication development skilfully. They provide good, clear language models that help children to acquire a wide range of vocabulary. Children articulate their ideas clearly.

For example, they compare a parachute to a pizza and suggest that the ball rolling on the top is like a 'pizza with a meatball'. Staff use effective strategies to closely monitor the progress that children make in their language development and implement effective interventions to help children to become confident communicators.Children use the well-planned learning environment to develop interesting storylines in their play.

This includes pretending to make and cook pancakes with dough, and chopping these into small pieces to feed the birds. They recreate their experiences of places they have visited, such as building towers to represent tourist attractions in London. Staff enhance children's learning skilfully and ask a range of effective questions that provide challenge.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and staff have a good knowledge of child protection matters. They understand about the various signs of abuse, including those linked to local and wider safeguarding issues.

They know how to report any concerns they have about a child. Staff are aware of the procedures in place to act on any concern about a member of staff. Leaders and staff complete thorough risk assessments to ensure that children can play safely.

Leaders implement safer recruitment procedures to check the suitability of all staff. They ensure the premises are safe and secure and take action to eliminate and minimise any hazards to children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend further the opportunities available to staff for their ongoing professional development to help raise the quality of teaching and children's learning to the highest level review and refine some aspects of children's daily routine to maximise opportunities for them to make decisions and lead their own play.

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