Noahs Ark Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The pre-school staff offer children a vibrant and nurturing space to play and learn. Children are eager and excited to immerse themselves in the excellent learning opportunities from the moment they arrive at the setting.

Staff have formed excellent attachments with all children to support them to feel safe and secure in their care. For example, children are happy and content as cheerful staff greet them on arrival. Staff work hard to create a safe, calming setting where children thrive.

Children are enthusiastic learners and have extremely positive attitudes to learning. They show high levels of interest in all the ac...tivities available. For example, children are extremely focused as they build tall towers with tiles.

Leaders think carefully about their environment and organise resources at children's height to enable them to make decisions in their play. Children actively make choices and they choose toys from the book of resources. Children show high levels of confidence and independence as they relish in the opportunity to carry out small tasks.

For example, all children have the opportunity to be the special helper for the day, which involves putting cups out for snack time and tidying the carpet mats away.Staff have high expectations for all children in their care. Staff use highly effective monitoring and assessments to ensure activities meet children's interests and individual learning needs.

This helps all children, including those in receipt of additional funding and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make good progress.

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

Staff work exceptionally hard to support all children to develop positive behaviours to enhance their future learning. For example, staff engage children in a variety of games and activities to support children's understanding of sharing and turn taking.

All staff consistently embed clear boundaries for children. As a result, children's behaviour is exemplary.Partnerships with parents are excellent.

Parents describe the setting as being a well-rounded spectrum of learning, nurture and play for every child, and say that the staff are fantastic role models for their children. Staff fully involve parents in their child's learning as they share ongoing observations and assessments with parents regularly. For example, the manager and individual key workers invite parents to meet them twice a year to discuss their child's learning and progress in detail.

Staff share detailed written and verbal information with parents each day to inform them on what their child has been learning that day.Children show delight as they choose to play indoors or outdoors. Children laugh in excitement as they engage in garden games, such as 'What's the time Mr Wolf'.

Staff extend children's learning and imagination as they explore the sand. For example, staff skilfully work alongside children to create caves in the sand for cars to pass through. Children confidently share their ideas and work together collaboratively.

Staff are passionate about developing children's knowledge and understanding of the world we live in. For example, children benefit from having people from the local community visit to explain their job and why they are important, such as police officers and veterinary nurses. Children are also involved in events and services at their nearby church.

Managers and leaders are committed to providing children and families with the highest level of care and learning. The manager is a very good role model for staff. She interacts and engages well with children, demonstrating high levels of teaching skills.

The special educational needs coordinator works closely with other professionals and staff members to ensure all children are making high levels of progress in their learning.Staff provide children with a wealth of stimulating activities and opportunities to inspire children to develop and learn. For instance, children absorb themselves in transporting coloured counters, using tweezers.

Children are confident in making decisions in their play. The quality of teaching is generally strong. However, during group times focused in the carpet area, staff do not always adapt their teaching to fully support all children's participation in activities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff have a strong understanding of their role to protect children from harm. They know the possible signs of abuse and understand wider issues surrounding child protection, such as radicalisation.

Staff are fully aware of what to do if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. All staff attend regular safeguarding training to help them keep up to date with current safeguarding requirements and statutory duties. Managers have robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

New staff and students receive a comprehensive induction before they start to enable them to fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff use detailed risk assessments to ensure their environment is safe and secure and to minimise any potential hazards.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop teaching further to fully support all children's participation during circle-time activities to raise children's learning to the highest level.