Parkside Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy, safe and secure. They thrive in this welcoming and nurturing environment. Staff are skilled at working closely with parents to help children to settle with ease and to meet their personal needs.

Strong emphasis is placed on children's emotional security and overall well-being. Staff frequently give children praise, encouragement and recognition for their efforts and achievements. Children generally behave well.

They begin to understand turn taking and sharing. They enjoy taking responsibility and feel proud to help staff to tidy away their toys. Children are inquisitive learners.

They enjoy... investigating and exploring their surroundings. Staff skilfully question children and extend their learning effectively as they participate in discussions during their play. Overall, children show good levels of engagement.

They have fun making marks with different-coloured paints, exploring play dough and playing in sand. In such activities, they consistently express their ideas and intentions with confidence. Children form positive relationships and make friends while playing together.

They enjoy it when staff join in with their play. For example, they sat on chairs and pretended they were on an aeroplane that was taking them on holiday. Children also like to ride around the garden on tricycles and play in the sand.

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

The pre-school has a long-serving, experienced team. Staff provide children with a well-planned curriculum. They use an effective system to observe and assess what children know and can do.

Staff use this information to provide activities that help children to take the next step in their learning and development. However, on occasion, children's independence is not promoted effectively.Staff receive regular supervision to help to improve their teaching and strengthen their skills.

The management team provides ongoing training, coaching and mentoring. Managers respect staff's well-being. Staff report that they feel supported in their role.

Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work closely with parents and with other professionals. They have formed strong bonds with other settings to find out the best possible ways to support children.

Additional funding is used well to meet children's individual needs and to improve their outcomes.Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the setting and staff.

They feel their children are safe and well cared for. Staff help parents to understand their children's development and how they can support their learning at home.Staff provide a range of opportunities that help to enrich children's experiences.

They engage in yoga, find quiet areas to look at books and take part in singing nursery rhymes. They think about the world around them. For example, children explored a large African snail and discussed how it eats and drinks water.

However, at times, not all resources are made easily accessible to children during their play.Staff encourage children's mathematical development effectively. For example, children count the number of jumps they can do while jumping on the trampoline in the garden.

Staff know the children they care for well. The key-person system is effective to support children to establish close attachments with staff. Staff interact with children positively.

They motivate children to join in and 'have a go'. For example, they encouraged children to demonstrate good coordination skills as they balanced across an obstacle course.Children behave well.

They learn how to take turns and share. For instance, they wait patiently for their turn to use bikes and scooters and they play cooperatively. Children show consideration to their friends.

They remind them to take a plate and sit at the table to have snack.Staff focus well on supporting all children's language skills. Staff plan activities to ensure children who speak English an additional language feel included.

Staff ask meaningful questions to test children's understanding and provide new words to build on their current vocabulary. Staff repeat, model and extend children's vocabulary. They provide plenty of opportunities for children to sing songs and listen to stories.

This helps them to become good communicators.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand their duty to protect children in their care.

They are able to talk about some of the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. They have a good understanding of wider safeguarding issues, including the dangers of extremism and grooming. They understand the procedures for recording information and know how to report any concerns.

The manager regularly checks that all staff remain suitable to work with children. The manager follows rigorous recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nensure resources are easily available for children at all times during their play develop children's independence during mealtimes.