Our Lady of the Wayside Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children feel safe and relaxed in the nurturing surroundings.

They confidently adapt to any changes to the environment and routine. Children become deeply absorbed in their play as they combine resources in many ways to build on their ideas. For example, children take the dinosaurs to the dough table and create headbands for them.

Other children use bees on sticks and create their own gardens. They are supported well to explain their ideas and solve any problems they encounter. Children have the freedom and time to play with their chosen activities and explore their ideas on their own and with their friends.

F...or example, children negotiate as they play imaginatively with tools in the pretend construction site.Children have ample opportunities to increase their self-help skills as they play independently and during snack time. For example, even the youngest children choose their name cards, wash their hands and are given the time they need to spread butter on their bread.

Children thoroughly enjoy being physical outdoors as they run, climb and balance on the varied range of equipment provided. Story sessions are popular and often linked to what children are being taught. For example, children engage well as they look at the book and recall how they have been planting seeds.

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

Play is central to the educational programme, and staff have a good understanding of how it supports children to learn and develop. Staff regularly observe and reflect on children's play and interactions. They use this information to provide a quality environment with open-ended opportunities so that children can explore and experiment with their ideas.

Staff place a prime focus on supporting children's emotional well-being and independence. Staff skilfully encourage children to take the lead and develop and extend their play. They support children to be kind and sensitive to the needs of others and to manage their own feelings.

Partnerships with parents are strong. During the induction process, staff collate detailed information about children's care and development to help them meet their needs. Parents report that they feel included in their children's learning.

For example, the electronic application used to inform them about their children's progress helps them extend their learning at home. Parents also report their children have made significant progress in their confidence, communication and language. Parents value the book-lending system and feel this helps their children develop a love for books.

Staff quickly identify any children who may benefit from additional support. For example, staff closely observe these children and provide targeted interventions to help close gaps in children's communication skills. There are strong systems in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Any additional funding is used for extra staff to ensure children are safe and their individual needs are met.The manager places a strong focus on creating a happy and enthusiastic staff team. Staff report they find the supervision sessions and training useful to help build on their knowledge and skills.

The manager works alongside the staff team and undertakes daily monitoring to ensure that good-quality experiences and teaching is provided. However, the manager does not often enough identify very precisely with each member of staff how they can further develop the quality of their teaching to the highest level.All children make good progress from their starting points.

Girls show a keen interest in the writing experiences and activities provided, which help increase their listening and attention skills. However, staff do not use the activities that the boys enjoy most to help further develop their writing, listening and attentions skills. Therefore, their attainment is not as high in these areas.

There are strong systems in place to support transitions when children move on to the local schools and nurseries. The manager works closely with the staff at the on-site school to help prepare children with the skills they need in preparation for school. Arrangements are made for children to attend events and use the host school's facilities .

This helps the children become familiar with the building and staff they will meet as they start school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There are effective recruitment and vetting procedures in place to ensure all committee members and staff are suitable.

Staff benefit from an effective induction process to ensure they are clear about their roles and responsibilities. All staff receive child protection training, and they have a good understanding of the procedures to follow if they have a concern. The manager works closely with other agencies and shares information to help promote children's welfare and education.

Keeping children safe is a high priority. For example, the manager has carried out a detailed risk assessment to ensure that the hall is safe and suitable for use after recent renovation work.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop the curriculum further to more fully consider the interests of boys, to help raise their achievement in listening and attention and their writing skills build on the systems in place to support staff development to help each member of staff identify very precisely how they can raise the quality of their teaching to the highest level.

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