Octotots Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at the pre-school where they are warmly greeted by staff.

Some children are confident in their surroundings and quickly settle with their chosen activity. Some children who are newer to the pre-school, receive further sensitive interactions and reassurance from staff and then happily join their friends. Staff support children to do things for themselves.

For example, children choose from the healthy snack food provided, peel the fruit and wash their plate and cutlery afterwards. This helps children develop their growing independence skills. Children eagerly find their coats ready for outdoor play.
<...br/>Staff remind children of the rules, children then remember to walk safely. When children find it tricky to fasten their coats, staff encourage them to persevere, they keep on trying and celebrate when they achieve it. Staff provide learning experiences based on children's interests.

For example, children enjoy learning about insects. They bury toy insects in the compost and carefully retrieve them using kitchen tongs. This helps children to develop their small muscle strength.

Staff talk to children about insects and introduce new vocabulary, such as antennae. They have fun. Children giggle, pretending the long antennae are tickling their friends.

Staff notice children struggling to share equipment with friends. They gently intervene, supporting them to take turns as they scoop compost and plant seeds. Staff encourage children to count the seeds up to ten.

This helps children develop mathematical skills. Children share previous learning with staff as they remember that seeds need water to grow. They are learning about the natural world.

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

The manager has worked hard to address the previous actions. She has worked effectively with the local authority to review practice and plan an ambitious curriculum. Teaching and learning has improved.

The curriculum planning offers challenging and meaningful learning. Children's behaviour and attitudes are positive and all children are making good progress. The manager has effective systems in place to support all staff with their continuous professional development.

Staff promote routine opportunities for children to practise their small motor skills, for example, peeling fruit and pouring water. Additionally, children play outdoors in a small area each day where they can use chalk to make marks and open and close doors in the playhouse. However, they have limited opportunities to develop a range of gross motor skills.

Staff identify children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities who, therefore, may need additional support. They work with other professionals to ensure that an appropriate support plan is in place. This means that they can provide learning that is relevant.

Staff support communication and language development. They listen and respond to children by repeating and extending what the children say. This helps children's developing understanding and builds on the language they already know.

For example, when children say, 'Daddy grow them, mummy flowers,' staff respond with, 'Daddy grows beautiful flowers for mummy.' Staff sing songs everyday and they have fun with language to help children hear and copy sounds. For example, staff say, 'Let's pull up the 'zzzzzzzip' on your coat.'

This helps children to hear and practise the sounds.Staff work closely with parents and provide them with daily information about their child's learning. They provide books for children to take home and share with their families, helping to promote a love of reading.

Parents report positively about their children's experiences at the pre-school. They say that their children have made progress with their confidence and language. They appreciate that the pre-school staff work with other professionals to gain wider support for their child.

Staff's interactions with children are, on the whole, sensitive and supportive. However, at times staff do not respond to some children. For example, they do not always notice when quieter children attempt to join in during activities.

This means that occasionally children's learning is not fully supported.Staff support children to gain the knowledge and skills that they need so that they benefit from what school has to offer. Children are independent, confident to make decisions, and able to communicate their needs.

For example, they say when they are hungry, they wash their own hands and manage their own personal hygiene.Staff promote a healthy lifestyle. For example, parents are encouraged to provide healthy food and snacks.

Children have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day. Children do not use electronic devices while at the setting. Staff help parents to understand how to reduce the risk to children when they use electronic devices on the internet at home.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen planning to provide a wider range of opportunities for children to develop their gross motor skills further nimprove responses to quieter children when they attempt to join in activities.