Play House Pre-School and Out of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and settled and enjoy their time at pre-school and the out-of-school club. Pre-school children have adapted well to changes made to the beginning of the day routines due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

This has encouraged them to become more independent. For example, children confidently come into the setting and put their own bags away without parental help.Children of all ages demonstrate that they feel safe and secure through their positive behaviour.

They have established trusted relationships with all staff members and are happy to approach them. Children behave well and are able to shar...e and take turns, supported by the staff. Children in the out-of-school club respect and follow rules they have helped to devise.

Children enjoy playing in the large, well-resourced outside area. They freely choose from a good range of interesting activities, such as water play and a role play café. Children enjoy the chance to play inside or outside and move independently between these areas.

They are able to take appropriate risks and are supported by simple strategies to help keep them safe. For example, children know not to enter a circle painted around the seesaw when it is in use.Children learn about healthy foods and vegetables.

They enjoy growing, examining and eating the vegetables they pull up from the vegetable patch. Children who attend the out-of-school club take part in projects and activities centred around healthy eating. They show a curiosity about the world around them.

Children enjoy lifting up logs to find bugs and learning more about them by looking at books.

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

Staff are warm and welcoming to all children and their families who attend the pre-school and out-of-school club. They know the children very well and can meet and follow each child's unique needs and interests.

A strong key-person system helps children form secure attachments.The pre-school has established strong and supportive partnerships with parents. They work well with parents to support a child's unique needs.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff made regular phone calls to parents and delivered activity packs to children at home to support their learning. Staff work effectively with different agencies where necessary to meet individual children's needs.The pre-school supports children to make good progress and staff have clear intentions for the learning they wish to take place.

They share individual children's targets with parents to support learning at home.Staff forge strong links with parents to understand children's experiences at home. Building on children's interest in visiting cafés, staff provide learning experiences such as a role play café.

Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They eagerly join in activities, such as squirting water to see how far it will reach. Children laugh and delight in seeing what they can do and enjoy being creative in their play.

Children are supported to be independent, and their well-being is promoted at all times. Children are secure in their daily care routines and are supported by simple strategies. For example, by being reminded to sing the handwashing song as they wash their hands.

Parents are positive about the preschool and the support they have had for their child. Parents comment that their child 'loves coming to preschool and has thrived in the setting'.The leadership and management of the pre-school is effective.

Staff are qualified and experienced and their knowledge of child development is good. They receive good professional development opportunities that help to keep their knowledge and skills refreshed. Staff are supported in developing their partnerships with parents.

Staff talk to children as they play. They ask children questions to encourage their thinking skills. However, at times, staff do not always provide a language-rich environment that helps children to extend their vocabulary and understanding of new words.

Children who attend the out-of-school club are safely collected from school by staff. They arrive happy and quickly settle at their chosen activities. Children have good opportunities to be active in the garden after a day at school.

They enjoy a game of football and using the large apparatus with their friends.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The pre-school staff are well trained and knowledgeable about safeguarding.

They attend regular training and share their knowledge at staff meetings. Staff are confident to identify possible signs of abuse and know what to do if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. All staff are knowledgeable about wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty.

They are vigilant to the signs and aware of the risks to children of being exposed to extremist views. The wider organisation has robust safeguarding procedures in place which support the pre-school where necessary.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's understanding of how to extend children's communication and language skills and build a wide depth of vocabulary.