Long Clawson Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children show they feel confident and happy as they arrive.

They receive a warm welcome from the staff as they enter the bright and spacious pre-school. Children cannot wait to tell staff about their morning. Staff listen and skilfully tailor the questions they ask to expand children's thinking.

Children respond and enjoy using these questions to start conversations independently with friends. Children's views are valued. Staff frequently ask children for their ideas and what interests them.

Children engage for long periods and make good progress in their learning, as staff use children's ideas to plan the act...ivities and experiences they provide.All children benefit from activities where they can move their bodies. Staff model different movements for children to copy and adapt these to make them easier.

This supports all children to join in and learn new ways to move. Children learn how movement helps their bodies to stay healthy, as staff encourage them to notice how they feel after exercising. They encourage children to place their hands on their chests to feel their hearts beating fast.

Additionally, children receive instructions from staff before physical activities begin. For example, children are encouraged to find a space before they start. This helps children to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe.

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

Staff have a strong understanding of child development and what they want children to learn. They use this knowledge to assess what children can do and identify appropriate next steps for learning. When necessary, staff work with other professionals to tailor individual support, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Therefore, all children receive the prompt support they need to make progress.Managers and staff regularly work together to reflect on the activities and experiences they provide the children. They adapt the resources they set up to ensure all children engage with a range of activities to help them develop across all areas of learning.

Where gaps in children's learning are identified, additional funding is secured and used to make improvements. For example, staff purchase shape sorters to promote younger children's small-muscle skills and early recognition of shapes.Staff place great importance on children's physical development.

They encourage all children to join in physical activities throughout the day. Staff support children as they balance their way across beams. Staff show children how to hold their arms out for balance and explain putting one foot in front of the other.

This helps children coordinate their movements and successfully cross the beams. Inside, staff encourage children to manipulate play dough to develop finger and hand strength. They model how to pinch, squash, squeeze and roll the dough.

Children listen and giggle before they copy the actions and repeat the words they hear, such as 'squish' and 'splat'.Staff use mathematical language to support children to understand size. For example, during lunchtime, staff point out which water bottles are taller, shorter, wider or narrower.

Children begin to compare their bottles and discuss height and width. Staff support children's understanding of numbers. For example, as children play board games, staff intentionally misread numbers to help children recall previous learning and correct them.

They hold similar numbers together and encourage children to recognise which is a seven and which is one. This helps children learn the language of mathematics in a fun way.Overall, staff interact well with children.

For example, staff take on roles as they support children's imaginative play. They pretend to be doctors and patients, wear slings and say they are feeling hot and have a temperature. Staff describe what thermometers, stethoscopes and reflex testers are.

Children learn to use these items to check different parts of their body. However, during other activities, some staff are less confident in supporting children's learning and helping them to build on what they already know and can do.Staff work closely with parents and provide them with termly development reports.

This ensures parents are well informed about their children's development and next steps in learning. Staff suggest strategies for parents to try at home. For example, staff provide ideas to help with children's teeth brushing and oral hygiene routines at home.

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: strengthen staff interactions with children to further support learning and help children build on what they already know and can do.