Pilton Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children flourish in this exceptional pre-school. They show they feel safe and happy as they confidently immerse themselves in activities.

Children thrive from the ambitious and meticulously planned curriculum. They are highly motivated and persevere at challenging tasks. For example, children learn how to use fire strikers as part of their woodland activities.

Children and staff celebrate together when each child succeeds at the difficult task.Children's behaviour is impeccable. There is mutual respect between staff and children.

Highly skilled staff guide children to regulate their behaviour and encou...rage kind interactions with their friends. For example, children building a pretend campfire invite younger children to join their play. Staff praise children's kindness.

As children explore natural materials to create their own unique constructions, they take lead of their learning. Staff reinforce children's emotional development and self-esteem through praising their efforts, encouraging their ideas and valuing their voices. Staff demonstrate immense passion and have high expectations for all children.

The support for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is exemplary. Staff know children extremely well and are in tune with their needs. Children make excellent progress across all areas of their development.

They are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including moving on to school.

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

Staff provide expert support and quality interactions for children's communication and language development. They deliver a stimulating and language-rich environment, regularly introducing new vocabulary.

Staff are highly conscientious in their own communication, so that they are clear. They break down instructions so that children understand, while also providing challenge that matches children's individual stage of development. Children demonstrate excellent communication and use of language.

Staff that support children with SEND are highly experienced and well trained. They make excellent use of strategies to support children. For example, staff regularly use sign language and picture cards.

These are effective at helping non-verbal children to communicate. Funding is used to ensure children with SEND have one-to-one support to help them make the best possible progress.Children and staff relish retelling stories together.

They use actions and natural objects to represent characters. They laugh together as they act out caterpillars spinning cocoons. This happy atmosphere creates a sense of belonging where everyone is welcome and included.

Children learn how to confidently retell stories and how to have fun together.Management and staff relentlessly strive for the best possible outcomes for children. Staff meet regularly to discuss and evaluate the quality and impact of education for children.

They attend regular training and use this to make improvements to the setting and their practice. Recent training on sensory processing and communication has led to staff self-evaluating and looking in detail at their interactions with children. As a result, they have improved how they communicate with children.

Staff update parents with information they have learned from training, such as positive ways to communicate with children.Management and staff go to great lengths to support children and their families. They are highly resourceful, facilitating support such as training for parents.

Management and staff recognise the pressures that family life can sometimes have on children's development. Staff undergo targeted training so that they can fully support families through difficult situations. This has had an enormous impact on children's progress.

Parents report that they feel extremely fortunate for the support their children receive.Parents are extensively involved in their children's learning. They are welcomed into the setting to join weekly forest school sessions.

Managers are ingenious in finding ways to involve parents. For example, parents visit the setting to share their hobbies, profession or pets. This works well, creating a community of people who provide valuable learning opportunities for children.

Staff report that they feel well supported and enjoy working at the pre-school. This is shown through the warmth and affection staff share with children. Staff work outstandingly well together as a team.

This filters down to children, as they follow staff's role model. For example, children work together as a team to quickly tidy the garden.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Management and staff take their safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. They have a secure knowledge of how to identify and report any safeguarding concerns. All staff attend regular safeguarding training and can confidently identify signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of abuse.

Staff support children to risk assess situations for themselves. They help children to identify and fix hazards, such as uneven ground in the garden. Children learn how to use equipment safely.

They know to remain in the 'safety position' while using 'risky tools'. These experiences teach children about measuring and managing risk. Staff implement effective risk assessments in order to reduce any potential risks to children.