Old London Road Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Each morning children are immediately spellbound and motivated by the musical welcome session, led by the manager.

They happily say goodbye to their parents, demonstrating that they feel safe and secure. Children eagerly choose from a range of easily accessible activities. Young children explore play dough, which is rippled with beautiful colours.

Older children make a green dough caterpillar and compare the number, size and shape of its body segments. Children pretend to take telephone calls in their role-play florist shop and prepare orders, using fresh flowers. They pot pansies in compost.

Children t...ake delight in the magical atmosphere of the extensive garden which is filled with beautiful plants and trees. They make music on chiming hollow pipes or hanging pots and pans. They gleefully pretend to mow the lawn or work out how to empty and fill the ball pool.

Older children help younger children play 'What's the time Mr Wolf?'. Children grow in confidence. Highly skilled and dedicated staff know when to stand back or offer support.

Staff carefully think through every step of learning. Behaviour is exemplary. Children listen attentively for their names, which signals their turn to use the washbasins, before going indoors.

They sing 'Jimmy Germ' to help understand basic hygiene. Children explore emotions, reactions and consequences as staff read with them. For example, they enjoy learning about cheerfulness from a story about 'Me and my Mum'.

Children learn about taking responsibility for their own and others' well-being.

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

The manager and staff have high expectations for children in their care. They make sure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make exceptional progress.

The manager and committee work closely together to ensure that staff are given sustained professional and emotional support. Staff appreciate 'down time' to reflect on their key children and share expertise and assessments. All staff know how to assist each child's learning and when to adjust teaching.

Staff are deeply committed to giving children exceptionally good experiences. Staff plan inspirational activities, building on children's existing interests and abilities. For example, children engineer a crane with a tall arm that folds into a concertina stack.

Children curiously explore how to move the crane when they keep the arm upright.Children learn how to make different sounds. Staff challenge them to explore how sound travels down tubes.

They encourage children to listen carefully to all sounds around them, however small. This helps children pick out sounds that letters represent in words. Staff expertly read books with children.

All staff interactions are timely and pertinent.Staff help children develop mathematical skills exceptionally well. For example, while outside, children and a staff member take turns to roll a sponge number dice.

Together they count and identify numbers on an abacus. The staff member expertly incorporates practical addition by adding more beads.Children make marks on easels.

They knead and shape dough, safely using cutting tools. This helps children develop their pencil grip. They create designs, using felt tips on mugs for Mother's Day.

They write their names on cards and gift tags.Children recycle materials and learn about sustainability. For example, they rebuild a tepee that was wrecked by a storm, using the original materials.

They learn to be resilient and cope with adversity. Children learn about being different, as they use some basic sign language and explore using a book in braille.The whole staff team evaluates activities and practice to make improvements.

For example, staff have introduced more lunch sittings, with smaller numbers, for a calmer atmosphere. Children can chat more easily with friends and staff. Training on effective questioning has helped staff to encourage children to be inquisitive and ask questions themselves.

Children are confident speakers.Parents are unanimous in praise and gratitude for the way staff work with children and families. Parents say communication is 'excellent, timely and nothing is left unresolved'.

One parent comments that 'you couldn't ask for more support, more expert advice and more fun'. All parents speak highly about the rich outdoor area, which is at the centre of the manager's vision.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are extremely well trained and knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities relating to child protection issues. They know and understand signs of possible child abuse or being drawn into extreme behaviours or ideas. Staff have a clear understanding of how to report concerns about a child's welfare.

Robust vetting procedures and ongoing checks ensure staff are suitable to work with children. All activities and routines are risk assessed to ensure children are safe. For example, there are stringent assessments for visits out of the premises and for people visiting the pre-school.