Morley Under 5’s Pre-school

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children feel safe and happy in this warm and welcoming setting.

They develop strong relationships with staff and talk with confidence about their home lives. Staff listen with interest and ask relevant questions as children talk about their pets and special events with their family. Staff are wonderful role models.

They treat children with kindness and respect. Staff encourage positive behaviour and teach children important social skills. They help children to process difficult emotions, such as feeling sad after getting something wrong.

As a result, children play cooperative games with friends and tal...k knowledgeably about what characters in stories should or should not do. For example, they describe a fish who stole a hat as being 'unkind'.From a young age, all children eagerly join in with activities and demonstrate the attitudes and skills of highly effective learners.

They move confidently around the pre-school, selecting resources and making choices about what they would like to do. Children listen carefully to staff and glow with pride when it is their turn be the helper at group times. They are extremely confident and develop their independence in everyday tasks.

Children master skills such as using zips and dressing themselves in boots and waterproof clothing. During social snack times, they serve themselves food and drinks using real china crockery. Children delight in regular opportunities to explore, investigate and play in the exciting, carefully resourced garden and woodland areas.

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

The highly engaged management committee and manager make sure the nursery is exceptionally well organised and efficiently run. Parents speak highly of the 'wonderful' pre-school. They praise its 'amazing' staff and positive impact it has had on their children.

The quality of teaching is outstanding. The manager works alongside staff and provides ongoing evaluation, coaching and support. She makes careful plans for each member of staff's development, which builds on their teaching skills and professional knowledge.

Staff have a superb understanding of child development and the different ways children learn. They use regular, precise assessments, alongside a deep knowledge of children's interests, to plan a range of highly stimulating and challenging experiences that motivate children in their learning.Children are encouraged to take part in voting to choose a story to read as a group.

Staff use this opportunity to teach children about mathematics. They teach children about number, including counting, recognising number symbols and quantity. Children know that zero means 'none' and begin to talk about numbers that are big or small with accuracy.

Staff have developed superb partnerships with parents. They ensure that parents are kept up to date with the progress that their children make and the activities they have enjoyed. Parents enjoy reading the daily communication book and children's learning journals.

They appreciate the themed stay-and-play sessions that support them to be further involved in their children's learning and provide ideas for continued learning at home.Children listen to stories with a high level of interest and engagement. Staff read clearly, making relevant comments about the illustrations and asking children questions about the story and its sequence.

Children make logical suggestions for what might happen next and begin to recognise letters, such as those in their own name.The manager and staff complete regular and robust monitoring of children's learning. For example, they review each child's development half termly.

The manager discusses these outcomes with each child's key person. Staff moderate their observations and assessments of children's progress together during staff meetings. This helps them to ensure that judgements are secure and provides an opportunity to share their professional expertise with each other.

Staff manage and support children's transition to school carefully. They use the excellent partnerships with their host school alongside targeted activities to help children become familiar with new routines and people. This promotes children's emotional well-being and provides a strong foundation for their future learning.

Staff minimise hazards in the environment exceptionally well without removing opportunities for children to develop an understanding of risk. They analyse accident records and actively reflect on changes that they can make to prevent accidents. Children demonstrate a superb recall of key safety rules and talk about which plants, such as stinging nettles, to avoid in the woodland areas.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff benefit from a high level of child protection and safeguarding training. As a result, they have an excellent understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse.

Staff know how to identify and report concerns regarding the welfare of a child or the behaviour of an adult. The committee and manager follow thorough recruitment and induction procedures to help promote children's safety. They check the initial and ongoing suitability of staff and committee members, making effective use of the Disclosure and Barring Service check update system.

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