Owl Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the pre-school. They are greeted with a friendly smile as they arrive, before quickly self-selecting from the fun, creative activities.

Staff are sensitive to children's interests and follow their lead. Children focus for extended periods of time and become engrossed in activities that they have spontaneously developed. For example, children are highly motivated as they fly their own paper aeroplanes, each time trying hard to fly it further.

Children show positive attitudes as they curiously explore dough. For instance, children watch carefully as their movements cause the dough ...to change shape. Children love music and movement sessions where they pretend to move like a Chinese dragon, smile with enjoyment as they explore the way a ribbon moves to music and keenly use pretend binoculars as they follow the words in a song.

This supports children's good physical skills and enhances opportunities for children to use their imaginations. The managers are keen to provide a wide range of experiences and a rich curriculum. Staff incorporate mathematics well into their planned activities.

For example, children successfully use a number line to measure and compare the heights of their constructions, and hold up the correct number of fingers to reflect the number of objects they have counted. Furthermore, children learn new mathematical language, such as 'taller' and 'longer', as staff support children to understand these concepts in play.

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

Managers are proactive in seeking the opinions of parents and review what they are doing to make ongoing improvements.

As a result, they have adopted an electronic version of their policies to further improve parent access. They have also purchased all-in-one wet weather clothing for children so that they have even more time in the garden to enjoy the fresh air.Staff have regular supervisions and yearly appraisals to effectively support their well-being and professional development.

Managers further support staff through an effective buddy system and identification of their training needs. Recent training in creating a healthy food environment has enabled them to reflect on promoting healthy food choices for children. Staff who attend external training share their knowledge by giving presentations at staff meetings and introducing new ideas.

Staff create a multitude of opportunities that support children to develop their independence skills. As children arrive at the pre-school, all children effortlessly self-register, find a personal tray for their belongings and hang up their coats. Furthermore, children wash their hands, find a nursery coat to put on before playing in the garden and use the toilet unaided.

This helps to ensure children have the skills to succeed when they transfer to school.Managers provide inclusive care and education very well. The staff and managers are remarkably committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the best possible support.

They identify specific support children need and are proactive in working with a wide range of external agencies. They source different funding to purchase specialised equipment and provide specialist teachers. For instance, they have used funding to source a chair to enable a child to have greater access around the pre-school.

Staff know children remarkably well and plan activities effectively to support children's next steps and interests. Managers monitor children's development thoroughly, spotting gaps in children's learning, before quickly developing ideas to reduce these gaps for all children. For example, they support boys to develop the strength in their hands for early writing skills by using interesting activities, such as rolling cars in paint.

Staff support children's communication and language very well. They model sentences and offer a narrative as children play. Furthermore, they teach children new words, such as 'celebration', which enriches the words children know and use.

However, staff do not always seek opportunities to encourage children to think of ideas and to critically think to the highest level.Children demonstrate excellent behaviour. They play together harmoniously and show very good levels of respect for each other and the environment.

For example, children work together to tidy away toys, listen intently to a story and negotiate when it is their chance to ride on the bicycle, through using a sand timer to help friends to understand when it is their go.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff can identify the possible signs of abuse and neglect.

The managers and staff know local authority processes for referring any concerns they have about a child's welfare. Whistle-blowing procedures were fully understood. Robust recruitment and vetting arrangements are in place to ensure that those working with children are suitable.

They have an effective induction process to support new staff to understand their role and responsibilities. Staff are well deployed, and they are vigilant in checking the pre-school to help keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nexplore further ways to support children to develop their critical thinking skills, offering higher levels of challenge.

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