Moorfield Pre-School Group

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this welcoming, vibrant and good-quality pre-school.

Staff have created a learning environment that captures children's interests and keeps them motivated to learn. The curriculum is well thought out, challenging and extends children's critical thinking skills. For example, children relish opportunities to take part in a bug hunt outdoors.

Staff extend learning by providing magnifying glasses and ask children challenging questions, such as 'how do beetles eat?' The atmosphere buzzes with excitement as children excitedly work together to build a beetle house in the outdoor wooded ...area.Children feel happy and safe in an environment where individuality and uniqueness are celebrated. They look at photographs of their friends and discuss the make-up of different family units.

Children behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Staff have high expectations of children and support their emotional well-being very well. Children form secure friendships and regularly embrace one another with hugs.

They develop good independence and tend to their own physical needs.Staff are well deployed and supervise children with vigilance. All staff are first-aid trained and know how to deal with accidents and injuries.

Staff teach children about the importance of managing risks during their play. This is evident as children help to move play equipment outdoors before creating a bicycle track.

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

Staff provide children with a well-designed curriculum that is tailored to their individual needs and interests.

Children enjoy the array of activities on offer which build on prior knowledge and test thinking skills. Staff skilfully extend what children already know through effective questioning and first-hand experiences. For example, children become fascinated while making a 'cake' in the mud kitchen.

Staff expertly question children about the mathematical concepts of weighing and measuring different ingredients.Care practices are good. Staff spend time getting to know children and their families during the settling-in period.

They place high priority in supporting children's physical and emotional well-being. Children settle quickly and are self-motivated, confident individuals. Their positive behaviour and attitudes to learning help them to make good gains towards the early learning goals.

Generally, staff support children's communication and language skills well. They listen to them with genuine interest and ask them challenging questions during their play. Children are competent communicators and use a wide range of vocabulary.

However, on occasions, staff do not always use the correct pronunciation of letter sounds when interacting with children.Partnership working is a golden thread of this good-quality pre-school. Parents are kept informed of their children's developmental progress and receive regular newsletters.

Links with the host primary school and external professionals are rooted in trust and respect.Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop. They plan appropriate activities across the areas of learning which equip children with the necessary skills in readiness for school.

However, staff are not always mindful that group-time activities can be too long, which results in some children becoming disengaged from their learning.The manager is a good leader and aspires to be outstanding. She reflects on practice and includes the views of children, parents and staff in the evaluation of the pre-school.

The manager supports staff's well-being very well and has introduced new assessment procedures to reduce staff workload. Staff are complimentary about the leadership of the manager and commend her on always doing 'what is best for the children'.Staff are provided with good opportunities to access a variety of training.

They are supported to gain higher qualifications and attend local authority meetings. Supervision arrangements are in place, however, these do not provide staff with the incisive feedback needed in order to raise their practice to an outstanding level.Children's physical development is promoted well.

Staff are skilled in challenging children's physical endurance and dexterity. They encourage children to run, balance and hop. Staff play football with children and talk about the importance of keeping healthy and active.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good knowledge of the possible signs, symptoms and indicators of abuse and neglect. They know the referral procedure and understand the steps to take should they be concerned about the conduct of a colleague.

The designated person fully understands her role in keeping children safe and protected from harm. Staff teach children from a young age about the importance of keeping safe, including the importance of online safety.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nuse the correct pronunciations of letter sounds when interacting with children refine group-time activities so that children do not become disengaged in their learning strengthen supervision arrangements for all staff in order to raise the quality of their practice to an outstanding level.

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