Newick Pre-school

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children develop an exceptional range of skills to help them be ready for starting school. Teaching is outstanding. The high-calibre staff team uses its expert knowledge to plan an extensive range of challenging activities.

The curriculum is rich and exciting, and is enhanced by many visits into the local community. The pre-school leader is an inspiring manager. She works tirelessly and shows relentless dedication towards providing the highest level of provision.

Every child's needs are planned for meticulously. Children's individual characters, personalities and learning styles are fully understood and respecte...d by staff. Key persons are passionate about making sure every child reaches their full potential in all areas of learning.

The relationships between staff and children are exceptionally positive. Children's safety is given the highest priority. Staff are extremely vigilant and help children understand about possible dangers, especially during visits within the local community.

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are polite and respectful to one another and take pride in promoting the pre-school's 'golden rules'. For example, children spontaneously remind one another to 'be kind to one another' and 'have fun'.

Children take an active interest in caring for the environment. They take on the role of 'eco-helpers' and confidently understand the importance of recycling their packets from lunchtime and conserving rainwater to care for their plants.

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

The manager monitors the quality of provision meticulously.

She has successfully made extensive changes since the last inspection and these have significantly improved children's learning. For example, staff now plan activities much more carefully based on what they see children showing an active interest in. This spontaneous approach means that children's ideas are very much valued and used as a base to extend learning.

The promotion of children's speaking and listening skills is exceptional. Children become confident communicators as staff teach them new words and reinforce new vocabulary. For example, one child used the word 'complicated' when trying to explain something to their key person.

The change in layout of the book corner has had a very positive impact on children's love of books and their literacy skills. Children now access books frequently during the session and enjoy sharing stories with staff.The range of activities provided for children is excellent.

Full use is made of the local area to enrich children's experiences. For example, children regularly visit the residents in a local care home and enjoy forming relationships with older people. Some of the children recently took part in the village Remembrance Day service and spoke in detail afterwards about poppies and what these represent.

Frequent visits to the local farm to see and feed the animals are firm favourites with the children, and they recall these experiences with excitement and enthusiasm.The links formed with the local school are excellent. The manager and Reception staff work very closely together throughout the year to ensure every step is taken to prepare children for starting school.

Joint projects with the pre-school, parents and Reception staff mean that children are very familiar with school routines before they start. Parents report how impressed they are with the partnership working between the pre-school and Reception staff, and how this significantly helps children settle into school very quickly.The curriculum enables children to explore, experiment and try new things freely.

Children are confident to keep persevering when tasks are challenging, and they are proud of their achievements. Every strategy is used to support children's confidence and emotional well-being. For example, the 'Wow Wall' is used exceptionally well to acknowledge and celebrate children's achievements at home and provides a good link between parents and staff.

All children, including those who need extra help with their learning, make rapid progress. Funding is used particularly well to support individual children's needs. Staff monitor children's learning carefully and make sure that accurate information is shared continually with parents.

Imaginative strategies are used to encourage parents to extend children's learning at home. For example, children delight in taking home the pre-school's 'Hartley Bear' and record his adventures in a journal to share with the staff and children.Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the pre-school and the way in which it supports children's learning.

They commend the manager and her staff and confirm how much their children enjoy attending. One parent said, 'I wouldn't change a thing'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a superb understanding of their responsibility to report any concerns about a child's welfare. They work collaboratively with other agencies and share all relevant information. When staff join the setting, rigorous recruitment checks are completed to make sure they are suitable to work with children.

Staff undertake relevant training to keep their knowledge of safeguarding up to date. They fully understand how to protect children and take all relevant precautions within the pre-school. For example, when children use the tablets to find out information, staff supervise them closely and make sure all information is suitable for children.