Pollyanna Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at this inclusive nursery, happy and eager to start their day. They, along with their parents and carers, are greeted enthusiastically by a dedicated staff team. Children beam when they see staff members and they enjoy being in their company.

Children understand the rules and routines of the nursery, helping to cooperate with each other, such as during tidy-up time.Children new to the setting are carefully inducted to make the transition as smooth as possible. Children quickly form strong relationships with their key person and enjoy comfort and cuddles when they are feeling tired or a little unsettled.

...>The setting supports families very well and it follows the children's routines established at home. Children enjoy close, nurturing relationships with their familiar adult, and staff know the children very well.Staff plan challenging activities covering all curriculum areas to motivate and engage children in their learning.

Additionally, they use props and resources to read stories expressively, capturing children's focus and attention. Children are confident communicators who use a wide range of vocabulary. Leaders and staff also provide great support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They work closely with parents and professionals to gather all the necessary information and advice to create individual support plans for children with SEND. All children are well prepared for their next steps in learning and when they move to school.

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

The manager and staff build strong relationships with parents.

They offer parents detailed information about their children's progress and next steps in learning. Parents receive newsletters every term, suggestions for supporting their children at home, and electronic updates about their children's learning and development.Staff support for children's communication skills is a strength.

Staff introduce lots of new vocabulary and continually narrate activities for younger children. Signing is a key part of the nursery's curriculum for communication and language. This helps children to develop their understanding and ability to express themselves.

Children are animated, expressive and confident communicators. As children talk, staff sensitively repeat back what children say so that they hear the correct pronunciation. Staff read stories with enthusiasm and use good questioning skills.

Staff support children to take manageable risks in their play. They encourage children to test out their own ideas and to have a go. For example, children make their own obstacle courses where they climb challenging apparatus with gentle reassurance from staff.

This helps children to develop a good understanding of their own strengths and abilities.The manager engages with staff effectively and focuses on improving practice. She spends time getting to know all children and understands the challenges that staff face.

As a result, staff report high levels of well-being and are enabled to provide high-quality care.Staff support children well to build on their mathematical skills. They provide activities that encourage children to recognise numbers.

For example, children identify that a spider has eight legs, staff then further this learning as they count four legs on each side and add these together. Staff adapt these activities to engage children at different levels of ability. Children develop good mathematical understanding that is appropriate for their age.

Children plant and grow their own herbs, and potatoes in the nursery garden. They learn about life cycles and watch excitedly as caterpillars turn into chrysalis's, and set butterflies free in the preschool garden. A local farm regularly visits which offers children opportunities to handle small animals such as rabbits and Guinea pigs.

Children learn about where animals live and how to care for them.On the whole, Children's growing independence is promoted well. Children competently pour their own drinks and select their coats and shoes to go outside.

These opportunities help children to feel proud of the activities they can complete by themselves. However, at times, children's growing skills are not promoted as effectively as they could be. For example, staff prepare snacks for children and spend time carrying out routine tasks that children could be involved with such as, clearing and cleaning tables.

Overall, staff deliver the broad curriculum with a sharp focus on individual needs. However, during some large group times, such as some mealtimes and story sessions, staff do not always support children to learn what they intend for them. This means that some children become disengaged and lose focus.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend opportunities for children to develop their independence skills support staff to take children's ages and individual needs into consideration during group time activities, to enhance children's learning.