Padnell Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The staff team has high expectations for the children. Children's emotional well-being is at the very centre of the pre-school.

They settle quickly into the daily routines and have a trusting bond with all staff members. Children behave well. There is a targeted approach to help those with more challenging needs to quickly build these skills.

Staff provide consistent explanations to help children to manage their emotions and recognise the needs of others. Children are safe and secure at all times. They have excellent opportunities to learn about healthy eating and to build an early awareness of making good choices.
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However, staff do not use opportunities provided to help children to build a deeper understanding during planned activities. Occasionally, large-group activities mean children are expected to sit for too long. Staff promote children's physical development.

Children have access to the large garden area and take regular walks outdoors. They develop a keen awareness about keeping themselves safe. For example, they help to do daily safety checks of the pre-school.

Staff encourage children to build very high levels of independence. Children persevere with tasks, such as dressing themselves and serving snacks and drinks. They delight in making their own fresh orange juice and choosing from a wide range of nutritious fruit.

The key-person system works exceptionally well to help children to build a wonderful sense of belonging and high levels of self-esteem.

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

The manager and staff team closely monitor and track children's development to quickly identify potential gaps. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who have English as an additional language and children who receive additional funding make steady and encouraging progress.

Information is shared successfully with other professionals to provide children with an impressive joined-up approach towards the next steps in their learning.Children build an excellent sense of community and learn about the differences and similarities between themselves and others. They are respectful, polite and play very well together.

Children enjoy exciting adventures outdoors. For instance, they post letters in the postbox locally and learn about people who help us. Children immerse themselves in forest school sessions to learn about the wonders of nature around them.

The manager supports staff through an effective use of supervision meetings and precisely planning for their continuous professional development. Staff are currently attending training to focus more intently on supporting children's communication and language development. This is helping them to be more aware of the questioning techniques they use towards the children to prompt their own views.

Self-evaluation is used well to continuously improve all areas of the pre-school.The manager values the views of the staff team, parents and children in helping to inform areas for improvement and change. Staff put a lot of time and thought into providing children with stimulating activities.

However, staff do not use opportunities provided to help children to build a deeper understanding of the skills they are learning during planned activities.Partnerships with parents are strong and well established. They feel included in their children's achievements and development.

Staff and parents work closely together to contribute towards setting the next steps for children's learning.Staff place a huge importance on helping children to build their self-care skills to promote their overall well-being and health. For instance, staff have encouraged a high level of interaction from the children in the morning routine, to help them to gain an early awareness of the importance of brushing their teeth.

Staff help to support children's emerging mathematical and early literacy skills well. For example, children persevere as they use their problem-solving skills to match intricate jigsaw shapes. They display their increasing memory and recall skills as they recite parts of their favourite stories.

Children enjoy taking storybooks home to read and share with their families.Children engage in large-group activities, such as circle time and practising for the upcoming nativity play. This helps them to listen patiently and follow instructions.

Nevertheless, the organisation of these times means that children can sit for too long and lose interest and concentration.Staff help to support children's increasing communication and language skills, through continually introducing new words. Children are starting to use their increasing vocabulary to explain how the ice is melting in the garden.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are confident in how they would identify the potential signs of abuse and the procedures they would use to report any concerns. This helps to protect the welfare of children.

The manager uses robust recruitment procedures to help ensure the suitability of staff who work directly with the children. Staff regularly update their knowledge and understanding of wider issues. For instance, they recognise the importance of helping children to learn about using early technology safely.

This helps children to build an early awareness of keeping themselves safe. Staff complete risk assessments to help keep children safe when on outings.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support children to be fully informed during planned activities, to help them to build a deeper understanding of their developing skills review the organisation of large-group sessions, so that children can remain interested and continue to build on their increasing concentration skills.

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