Milton Park Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are busy and purposeful learners at Milton Park Pre-School. They enjoy a good range of activities that staff plan to help children's learning. Children blow bubbles, paint fences with water and explore a tray full of coloured paper with enthusiasm.

Children show positive attitudes to learning. They are curious and self-motivated to explore and investigate the many resources that the staff provide. Children develop good manners and clearly understand the staff's expectations for positive behaviour.

Children behave well. They effectively communicate to their friends and the staff as they play.Younger children be...nefit from playing with older children.

This helps them make new friends and learn social skills. Older children are caring towards the younger children. They show them how to play with resources and where to tidy away resources at the end of the morning.

Children clearly enjoy their time at the pre-school. However, at times, staff do not make the best possible use of children's learning time. Occasionally, staff do not fully support children's learning to the highest levels.

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

Staff know the children well. They build effective partnerships with parents, who share information about what their children can do at home. Staff know what children like to play with.

They use this knowledge to plan activities that interest children and support the next steps in their learning. Children draw shapes in shaving foam as they try to form letters. This supports their early writing skills.

Children regularly borrow books from the pre-school staff to share with their parents and carers at home. Staff read stories to children in an exciting and engaging manner. Children stomp like the elephants in a story and use musical instruments to represent different animals.

This helps children to develop early reading skills and a love of stories.Staff help children to develop their physical skills. They crawl, climb, hop and jump around obstacle courses.

They kick balls and run energetically outdoors. Staff chat to children about nutritious food choices during social lunchtimes. Staff help children to learn about developing a healthy and active lifestyle.

However, at times, staff do not organise activities and routines effectively. Children occasionally wait for staff unnecessarily. This can disrupt children's learning time in the pre-school.

Staff support children's emotional development well. New children quickly settle in to play at the pre-school, helped by sensitive and warm care from staff. Children form strong bonds with familiar adults.

Staff support children who are learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to close any gaps in their learning. However, at times, staff do not make the most of all teaching opportunities that arise as children play. Some children could develop the skills they need to move on to the next stage in their education faster.

Staff carefully consider the use of additional funding to support children's learning. They offer all children the same chances and opportunities in the pre-school, such as going on visits in the local community.Parents report they are very happy with the care and support staff provide for their children.

Staff work well with other professionals involved with children. This ensures high levels of continuity for children's care and learning.The manager and chairperson of the pre-school committee understand their roles.

They monitor the quality of teaching and the curriculum effectively, to ensure children consistently benefit from good-quality learning experiences.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand their role to keep children safe and promote their well-being at all times.

They attend regular training in safeguarding and know what actions to follow if they have any concerns about children's welfare. Staff recruitment and ongoing supervision is robust. The manager regularly checks staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff make good use of risk assessments to help identify and minimise any hazards in the learning environments. This helps to ensure the pre-school is a safe place for children to play and learn.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: make the most of teaching opportunities that arise as children play, to help them to develop the skills they need to move on to the next stage in their education review the organisation of daily routines, so that children do not have to wait unnecessarily and so that they have time to get deeply engaged in their learning.

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