North Duffield Under Fives

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at this welcoming pre-school ready to play and have fun. They are happy and settled and say that they 'love pre-school'.

Exciting activities are developed around the interests of children. This ensures that children are highly motivated and very keen to join in. They consistently demonstrate imagination, excellent levels of concentration and engagement.

Staff are nurturing and very good role models for children. They have high expectations for children's development and behaviour. Children make friends quickly and play together happily.

They are particularly good at sharing and taking turns. Al...though competitive, they accept that they cannot always be the winner and are pleased for each other's success.Staff encourage children to explore, discover and ask questions.

Children do so eagerly. For instance, children took great delight in seeing what happened as they followed a recipe to make dough. They discuss if they have added too much water and made what looks like 'porridge' instead of dough.

They successfully use their imagination as they use resources such as tubes and blocks to construct in different ways. Children's learning is monitored closely so that staff can help them to reach their full potential. Consequently, children make good, and often very good progress in their development.

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

Staff interact positively with the children. They are confident to follow children's ideas when play goes off in an unexpected direction. They know how to join in with play, rather than direct it.

They ask open questions, and genuinely enjoy working with the children.Staff teach children well about the importance of respecting each other. They value children as individuals and treat all equally.

They provide some activities to raise their awareness of diversity. However, they have not explored ways to deepen children's understanding and appreciation of people, families and communities beyond their own.The book area is a popular place with the children.

Children delight in looking at books by themselves, together with their friends and with staff. They listen attentively as staff read to them and clearly enjoy the stories they hear. This enhances their early language acquisition, and as a result, most children are confident speakers.

Children enjoy learning about mathematics. They use their growing number skills and increasing vocabulary throughout play. For example, they correctly count how many items they need to complete the shopping game.

They discuss together how many pieces of carrot they should put out for Rudolph the reindeer as they role play.Children are very confident. For example, they are keen to take their turn at 'show and tell' time.

They talk enthusiastically about the objects they have brought in that day and answer questions from the other children.Staff provide lots of enjoyable activities to help children develop a positive attitude to keeping fit and healthy. They report a marked improvement in children's stamina and health since they have introduced a daily run into the pre-school routine.

Children have great fun and show resilience and determination as they successfully complete the circuit.Information about learning in the setting and at home is shared once children start attending. However, detailed information is not always obtained about children's experiences prior to starting the setting to help shape the early curriculum.

Staff are dedicated practitioners who are determined to provide good-quality care for children. The manager is highly qualified and experienced. She shares her knowledge with her staff and supports them fully in their work.

Staff work with parents and children to evaluate what they do and what they need to do to improve further.Parents speak highly of the care their children receive. They say that their children make good progress, especially in their speech and confidence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are clear about their responsibilities to make sure that children are safe. They are well informed about child protection procedures and know that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

They have a good awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child's welfare. The building is safe and secure, and maintained to a high standard. Steps are taken to ensure visitors are supervised at all times.

They are made aware of policies, such as not using their mobile phones. Thorough risk assessments are undertaken before children go on the many planned outings. This keeps them safe while they enjoy different experiences.