Peter Pan Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children confidently enter the pre-school. Those who are slightly more unsettled are quick to calm down when greeted by the warm and friendly staff. Children engage in play well and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

They seek out their friends and interact happily with each other. Staff set clear boundaries so children are aware of these and display good behaviour. Children with more challenging behaviour are closely monitored by the effective key-person system.

They know who their key person is and form strong bonds with them. Children approach staff with ease and seek comfort when needed. This helps to supp...ort children's personal, social and emotional development.

Children benefit from a diverse local community. They learn about the world around them and cultural differences. Parents take part in this learning and visit the pre-school to talk about their different backgrounds.

For example, they introduce children to different types of food with food-tasting sessions and celebrate festivals, such as Eid. All children make good progress, including children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have identified children's communication and language skills as an area for development.

They have introduced interesting activities to help effectively support this. For example, children gather for circle time and talk to staff about the weather on that day ,and enthusiastically sing the weather song.Staff identify personal, social and emotional development as another area of focus.

For example, they have a robust settling-in procedure to suit all needs. This allows for the extra time required to ensure that all children confidently settle well and have their individual needs met.Staff encourage independence as a strategy to ensure that children are ready for starting school.

For instance, children hang up their own bags and coats on arrival. They identify their pegs and take responsibility for their own belongings. During snack time, independence remains a focus.

Children decide when they would like snack and help themselves to fruit and vegetables of their choice.Staff actively remind children to take care of themselves. For example, they ask children to wash their hands before snack and lunchtime.

Staff sit with children at lunchtime and talk to them about the fillings in their sandwiches. However, the mealtime routine is not always well planned to encourage children to make healthy choices about what they eat. In addition, on occasion staff allow mealtimes to be interrupted and children leave the table before they have finished eating.

Staff ensure that children receive regular physical activity, fresh air and exercise. For example, they have access to varied outside spaces, including a play area and a wonderful forest school. This helps to build children's stamina, strength and coordination.

However, at times, staff do not make sure that outdoor spaces are welcoming, inviting and ready for children to use, so that children benefit fully from the learning experiences offered.Staff have high expectations for behaviour in the pre-school. They remind children of the rules, such as sitting down while they eat lunch and not to talk with their mouth full.

This helps children stay safe and helps to prevent choking. Children respect staff and listen and act on their instructions. They develop a secure understanding of expectations and boundaries.

Staff feel very supported by the manager. They can approach her at any time, and she is always there for them. Staff attend regular meetings where they discuss planning, training and children of concern.

Staff identify courses they believe are useful for the children in their care. For example, a member of staff recently attended an 'autism for girls' training course.Parents are complimentary of staff at the pre-school.

They say that staff are lovely and very supportive. Parents state that they feel they can approach staff at any time with questions or queries. They say that staff give regular feedback about how their children are progressing, and are quick to highlight areas of concern.

Parents of newer children compliment staff on the settling-in process. They state how their children are happy to come to pre-school each day.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a confident knowledge of their role in safeguarding children and child protection. They can securely identify signs of neglect and abuse in children. Staff can clearly explain the process involved in reporting concerns about a child and an adult.

They wear a lanyard containing contact details of whom to report a concern to. Staff are aware of who the designated safeguarding lead is. They know about local safeguarding risks, such as county lines and those associated with being on a military camp.

There is a robust recruitment process, and the manager has attended safer recruitment training. Staff strive to ensure that children are in a safe and secure environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review and improve mealtime routines so that staff consistently support children to learn about healthy choices and give them enough time to eat without interruptions develop the arrangements for setting up the outside space so it is welcoming and well organised, to support children's learning.