Noah’s Ark Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children positively thrive at this exemplary pre-school and have extensive opportunities to learn and develop in a safe and engaging environment. Leaders and staff provide a high-quality curriculum, carefully focused on children's interests and needs. Children are highly motivated and eager to explore the wonderful activities on offer and staff are skilled at supporting their learning and development.

Caring staff know the children extremely well and so they are able to create exciting new opportunities to capture their interest. For example, they make use of an overhead projector to cast shadows and light on the walls, ...which children explore and investigate.Children are extremely independent and the staff encourage this as they have high expectations of their children.

For example, children use crockery and glasses at mealtimes and are encouraged to use them responsibly to avoid breakages. Children take increasing responsibility for their own self-care and staff promote this extremely well. For instance, staff provide children with a 'sniffle station' for blowing their own noses and practising washing their hands by using a hand-washing action song.

Children's behaviour is excellent and they have a very clear understanding of the routine. Staff are excellent role models and they treat the children and each other with respect and warmth. As a result, children are safe and secure and form genuine and caring relationships with the staff and each other.

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

Children benefit from a wide range of inviting activities across the Early Years Foundation Stage. The staff ensure these are based on the children's interests and current stages of development and, as a result, children are deeply engaged and highly motivated to learn. For example, children make see-saws from loose parts and then work out how to use them safely.

Leaders have a very ambitious and inclusive vision for the pre-school, and they work extremely hard with their staff to ensure that all children make excellent progress. They use highly effective strategies to support children with special educational needs and disabilities, and they flourish in the setting as a result.There is a sharp focus on supporting children's language development.

Staff use word banks to extend children's vocabulary and they are continually modelling language to ensure that children become confident talkers. For example, they use words such as scoop, pour, swirl and trickle when investigating a cornflour and water mixture.Children are extremely well behaved in the pre-school and are supported to know the expectations very effectively.

For example, they respond instantly to a clapping signal and then help to tidy up before group time very efficiently. This is because they are very keen to take part in the group time that they understand comes next.The pre-school leaders and staff work with parents and other professionals to ensure that children's physical and emotional well-being is promoted.

This results in children receiving excellent and consistent care, as well as support in their learning and development. All children demonstrate that they are safe and secure and enjoy their time at pre-school.Staff are very well supported by the leaders.

They are provided with very effective training, for example in planning for children's interests and closing the word gap. As a result, the teaching is of a very high standard, which benefits the children exceptionally well and ensures they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.The pre-school leaders ensure that the environment is safe for children and they take great care to evaluate any potential risks.

Meanwhile, they provide children with the opportunity to take appropriate risks themselves. For instance, children work out how to climb on equipment safely and are becoming physically adept as a result.Children have access to a wonderful range of resources which have been carefully chosen by staff indoors and outdoors.

These are evaluated by leaders, and changes are made when necessary. This means that children always have some new and exciting things to explore and learn from. For example, they can pretend to go to a hair salon, experiment with large construction materials, select and read stories, count and practise their physical skills in a variety of ways.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The arrangements for safeguarding are very effective. The manager and her staff have a secure knowledge of what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare.

They can identify different indicators of abuse and know how to report concerns, including the relevant agencies to contact, if appropriate. Robust recruitment processes are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children, and staff are aware of procedures and actions they would take if they had a concern about a colleague's practice. The premises are safe and secure and the evacuation procedures are clear.