Oakwood Community Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children confidently leave their parents and carers on arrival. They form positive relationships with staff and show that they feel safe and secure with them. Staff mainly provide consistent and effective teaching.

This helps all children gain skills for the future, including concentration and listening skills. For example, two-year-old children listened and followed instructions of action songs during a music activity.Staff understand and know how to meet children's individual needs securely.

They quickly identify children who may need extra support in their learning and development. They put in place individual plans... to help support children's progress. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals, when needed, to promote a consistent approach.

Children make significant progress over time. Overall, leaders and staff understand their roles and responsibilities securely. Staff plan and provide small-group activities that help all children engage in discussions and explore different concepts.

For instance, older children took part in an activity that helped them to recognise and understand the order of numbers.Staff guide children's behaviour consistently. They remind children about the expectations, such as having 'kind hands'.

Children develop their confidence effectively. Staff regularly praise and encourage children. For instance, they give children time to do things for themselves, including managing their packed lunches and putting on and taking off outdoor clothing.

This promotes children's independence very well.

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

The provider understands that committee members need to have their suitability checked and verified by Ofsted. The processes in place are not fully effective to ensure all committee members promptly submit the required information to Ofsted.

Although, this is a breach of requirements, there is no impact for children's safety and welfare. The committee members who have not had their suitability verified by Ofsted do not have contact with children and they do not access confidential information.Leaders provide relevant information to staff during their induction.

There are ongoing discussions and support provided to staff, including training and professional development. However, at times, there is not a rigorous approach to identify any potential gaps in new and existing staff's understanding of their roles and responsibilities. For example, staff sometimes do not vigilantly promote some aspects of children's well-being and good health, such as during mealtimes.

This does not have a significant impact on children.Staff understand the children's learning needs effectively. They are very mindful of meeting children's individual needs and planning for their next steps in learning.

There is a strong focus on supporting children's language development. Staff engage children in discussions and activities, including reading books and singing songs and rhymes. They encourage children to recall and discuss stories and their experiences.

This helps children to gain confidence in speaking and to learn and use new words.Children make their own choices from the resources. Staff join children at their activities and provide good-quality interactions to support their learning.

This includes promoting children's awareness of the behaviour expectations. For example, staff develop children's understanding of positive behaviours, such as sharing and taking turns. Overall, children gain a good awareness of the daily routine and expectations.

Occasionally, staff do not provide information to children to help them fully understand what is happening and what is expected.Staff promptly respond to any gaps in children's learning. The provider ensures there are higher staff ratios to enable staff to successfully meet and support all children's needs.

Staff include all children very well and encourage them to take part in activities. They provide skilful support to children who need extra help. This includes using Makaton signing and communication cards with children.

Staff use additional funding effectively to support and meet individual children's care and learning needs.Staff ensure that children benefit from plenty of time outside, where they engage in activities that cover all areas of learning. Children enjoy being energetic and active.

They develop their large physical skills effectively, including coordination and balance.Children from the different rooms have times to play together. This helps them to build friendships with other children and get to know other staff.

This supports children to successfully manage the move to the next room.Partnerships with parents and others are strong. Parents are highly complimentary about the staff and the support and communication they provide.

Staff involve parents in their children's learning. For example, they encourage parents to contribute to children's assessments and borrow books from the pre-school library to read at home with their children.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date implement and maintain effective procedures to ensure all committee members provide the required information to Ofsted to check and verify their suitability for the role.29/11/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: build on new staff's induction and existing staff's support to help them embed their understanding of their roles and responsibilities, to further promote their good practice nensure staff explanations and instructions are clear and easy for children to understand and follow.