Odiham Community Pre-School (Leapfrogs)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy when entering the setting.

They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure as they easily separate from their parents and interact well with staff. Children settle well and engage in play. They make friends and play together with confidence.

They behave well and clearly respect staff and their peers. Children know who their key person is and approach staff with ease. Staff form strong bonds with children.

This helps to support children's personal, social and emotional development. Children enjoy daily physical play and fresh air and exercise in the garden area. This helps to build up their s...tamina, strength and coordination.

Staff identify children's mathematical skills as an area for development after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They introduce ways to help support this. For example, children have access to a loose-parts area to encourage counting and weighing.

Staff further extend this for children. For example, they ask children to count beanbags during a group circle time. All children make good progress, including children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Staff focus on supporting children's social skills and communication and language development. They introduce strategies to help support this. For example, children sit down in a group and make flags to celebrate the King's coronation.

This encourages social interactions and conversations between staff and each other. However, staff do not consistently plan and implement adult-led activities effectively to capture all children's interests and build on their existing skills.Staff encourage children's independence skills in preparation for getting ready for school.

For example, children self-register upon arrival and put their own coats and shoes on. Staff promote children's personal care routines. They support children's toilet training progression to enable them to independently use the toilet.

Staff model behaviour to support children to understand how to use these skills. For instance, children blow their own noses, dispose of the tissue in the bin and use antibacterial gel afterwards to encourage good hygiene.Staff promote healthy eating throughout the setting.

Children confidently know the lunchtime routine and make healthy choices. Staff communicate with parents about healthy eating. For example, staff suggest healthier options for lunch boxes in the welcome pack given to parents when their child first begins.

Staff ask children to help tidy up before lunch. Children are happy to help and receive praise from staff for doing so.Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour.

They remind children of the boundaries that keep them safe, and children behave well. For example, they remind children to sit sensibly at the table when eating. Children listen to staff and act upon their instructions.

Staff comment that they feel this helps to prepare children for the routine and structure of when they start school. These skills help support them in readiness for starting school.Staff ensure they offer an inclusive setting that meets the needs of all children.

This includes children with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff ensure that the setting meets the individual needs of the range of children who attend. This ensures that every child is fully supported and included in all areas of the setting.

Staff feel the manager supports their well-being and mental health well. They comment that they can approach her at any time with any questions. Staff regularly attend meetings as a team and on a one-to-one basis with the manager.

This allows staff to discuss topics of interest, for example the individual needs of children and children of concern. Staff have access to training courses and can approach the manager if they identify further training needs, such as for sign language.Parents compliment staff at the setting.

They say how happy their children are attending the setting. Parents state that they regularly receive feedback at the beginning and the end of the day. They say how staff arrange coffee mornings for parents to discuss their children's progress further.

Parents state that staff have a strong relationship with other settings and schools, making transitions smoother.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding children and child protection.

They understand how important their role is in this process. Staff can identify the signs of physical abuse and neglect. They are confident with the process involved when they have a concern.

Staff know who to contact if they have a concern about a child or an adult. They know where the safeguarding policies and procedures are stored and contact details of other agencies. Staff know who the designated safeguarding lead is.

The manager has a robust recruitment process in place and has attended safer recruitment training. Staff strive to ensure children are in a safe and secure environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the planning and implementation of adult-led activities to ensure they capture children's interests and build on their existing knowledge.