Mulberry Court Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Adults are attentive to children's moods and feelings as soon as they arrive. They encourage children to join their peers inside with smiles and warm words. Staff reassure and stay close to younger children who need more support to settle.

This helps all children feel safe and secure and have a positive start to their day.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They are quick to remind children of the rules, for instance to share toys and not to run.

They talk to children with kindness and respect. Staff give fun instructions to get children's attention before an activity. Children listen to adults and t...heir behaviour is good.

Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enjoy their time at this inclusive setting. This is partly due to how staff make activities accessible. For instance, adults model early writing skills by drawing spirals and lines on a chalkboard.

They engage less confident children by making this a fun game, giving them the chalkboard rubber to delete the lines. This helps children with SEND develop their confidence and an interest in mark making.Leaders have created a curriculum to help children gain independence as they grow.

For instance, very young children learn skills to help them say goodbye to their parents at drop-off. Older children learn how to play cooperatively with their peers. Pre-school children are given the tools they need to manage the transition to school.

This helps children of all ages to be well prepared for the next stage in their development.

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

The curriculum is designed to follow children's interests. Adults and children talk to each other with high levels of curiosity.

Children have the confidence to ask adults about unfamiliar resources, such as pastry brushes and rolling pins. Adults ask children to examine trays full of hidden animals. They encourage children to share their experiences of pumpkin carving, trips to the dentist and time with their pets.

This helps children to practise new words in context, especially when sharing their experiences with their peers.Staff support children to look closer at things in their environment. Outside, adults guide children to notice a small snail and children excitedly gather round.

Staff ask children to compare the snail with their pet snail inside. Later, children carefully sketch pictures of their snail. They proudly say, 'I'm making a drawing!' Staff teach children how to gently touch the snail's shell and ask them questions about what it feels like.

This helps children to look at objects in greater detail, while teaching them to care and have respect for animals.Staff listen intently to what children say about their time at home. Staff then adapt activities to focus on children's outside interests.

For instance, staff have bought chapati pans, bakery items and dentistry resources for the role-play area. This enriches children's imaginative play and encourages conversations about their diverse family lives.Adults provide children with many opportunities to practise their number and counting skills.

For instance, staff ask children to count objects, order numbers, or count on from a given number. However, consistent modelling of the vocabulary of weight, capacity, shape and measure is not as well embedded. As a result, children do not always have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of these concepts during their play.

There are strong partnerships with specialist teams to support children with SEND. Staff readily accept advice and recommendations from visiting professionals. For example, staff have arranged for the use of specialist resources to help children communicate and better access activities.

This has contributed to children with SEND making good progress from their starting points, especially in their language, communication and confidence.Leaders and staff have worked hard to help children learn about how to stay healthy. Staff share information with parents about the importance of nutrition.

However, leaders recognise there is more work to do in this area to make sure children learn consistent messages.There is effective supervision in place for all staff members. Training opportunities are available for staff to further develop their skills.

Staff feel very well supported by their caring, dedicated manager. This has led to a close-knit team where staff turnover is very low and well-being is high. This has also contributed to a positive and fun atmosphere in which children can thrive.

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: nimprove teaching to help children develop and use a broader range of mathematical language as they play and learn further develop teaching and partnerships with parents to make sure children learn consistent messages about healthy eating, particularly around the provision of lunch time.