Ludwell Valley Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children clearly show their enjoyment at coming to this pre-school. Highly attentive staff meet and greet children and parents as they arrive each morning.

Staff know the children and their families very well and establish strong partnerships with them. Key persons will care for children from the same family to deliver consistent levels of care and communication. Children feel safe and secure.

They are confident in their environment, both with the staff and each other. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and show high levels of concentration.Children are at the centre of what the pre-school provid...es.

How the environment is set up and which activities are on offer all come from the children's interests. Children's level of engagement is high. Boys and girls are motivated to mark make through outdoor activities such as recording colours or numbers of cars and by attempting to copy and write words seen on the wall.

Children's contributions are highly valued, with examples of work proudly displayed. Mathematical teaching is strong in the pre-school. Staff ask children to collect numbers of items and encourage counting and the identification of colours.

For example, children are asked to find three red items, then one more or one less. Staff differentiate instructions based on the development stages of most children. Skilful staff support and extend learning opportunities by following the children's lead and extending their knowledge.

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

All staff know what the children can do and what they need to learn next. Staff have high expectations of all children and this belief is championed by the manager.Children's speech and language development is supported from the start through careful assessment.

Children play sound games in small groups with experienced staff and listen to stories intently. As a result, children make good progress in their communication skills. However, children with English as an additional language are not as securely supported when using their home language in their play.

Early writing skills linked to the children's next steps are encouraged. For example, chocolate cornflour and water play ignite the children's curiosity to mark make with their fingers. Clear guidance from members of staff help the children with their confidence as they are shown how to hold a pencil and begin to write their name.

Children respond well to instructions and show good listening skills. They are able to explain the rules of the pre-school to visitors. Children enthusiastically tidy up and work together.

The manager has a clear vision for the pre-school and is a dedicated leader. She supports the staff in planning by reducing paperwork and promotes a child-centred ethos. As a result, staff workload is kept to a minimum.

The manager has made strong connections with the parents and the community. The children benefit from links with a dental nurse by enrolling onto a healthy teeth programme and learning about how to brush their teeth effectively. There is true partnership and working with other services to support the children and their families.

Parents praise the setting and the established staff team. Parents comment that the pre-school has significantly benefited their children's speech and social skills. Children relay their love of the setting to their parents and want to stay beyond the end of the daily session.

Children delight in conversations with staff during lunchtime. Children talk about Christmas trees and the morning activities they have enjoyed at pre-school. Lunchtime is very social and children's individual dietary needs are met.

Staff receive good levels of supervision from the manager. Training needs are identified and acted upon. As such, staff express feeling high levels of support and well-being.

The manager does not receive the same level of supervision. Her professional development and mentoring needs are not entirely met as she has few opportunities to explore her personal development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff have completed safeguarding training. Staff demonstrate a sound knowledge of what to do if they had a safeguarding concern and what action they would take. Communication between the staff team and manager is secure.

For example, children's attendances are closely observed and risk assessed. Good systems are in place to recognise, record and review existing injuries. As a result, children's safety and well-being is closely monitored.

Staff liaise with other agencies when required to meet the needs of the children and families. The management team operates robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff suitability.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop opportunities for children to use their home language in play and learning, so that all their language skills can be fully assessed and supported strengthen supervision procedures for the manager, to provide opportunity for regular discussion, enhanced support and professional development.