Ponsanooth Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children access a wide range of activities and resources that help to support their self-chosen play. For instance, older children enjoy cooking and independently mix their own ingredients. They explore mathematical concepts, for example, as they measure oats and chop apples into cubes.

Younger children are confident and invite adults into their play. They develop skills that support their early writing well, such as making patterns with magnetic boards and pens. Children enthusiastically explore their environment.

They demonstrate high levels of curiosity. For example, they investigate x-rays of insects at the light t...able, and explore cause and effect as they wind up torches, showing perseverance.Children's behaviour is good.

Staff use training to help children to manage their feelings effectively. For example, they use visual timetables and signs supporting speech to help children identify their feelings and regulate their behaviour. This helps children to manage daily routines, such as transition times and during their intimate care.

The manager is keen to maintain and build on existing high standards of care and education. She recognises that she needs to monitor the quality of the curriculum more closely so that she can help staff develop their good teaching skills even further.

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

The manager and staff have a clear intention of the skills and knowledge they want children to acquire.

They have implemented new systems for planning and evaluating the curriculum. These help them to prepare children well for the next stage in their learning. However, younger children engage less well in planned activities than the older children.

The manager creates a supportive work environment. Staff feel well supported and value training opportunities. The manager encourages a 'team approach' to working, and staff receive regular feedback on their performance.

However, this is not directed enough on their teaching skills to help raise them to an even higher level.Staff ensure a strong focus on developing children's communication skills. Children are confident to listen and talk.

They benefit from targeted support as staff plan regular opportunities for children to hear stories, sing songs and practise rhyming sounds. Children show they enjoy these experiences, for instance, as they giggle and dance during circle times.Staff are positive role models.

They model high expectations of behaviour and use polite, respectful language such as 'please' and 'thank you'. They give praise and encouragement to children when they achieve simple tasks, such as washing their hands, tidying up, or helping one another.Partnership with parents is effective.

Staff use their training to help parents understand how to support children's emotional development. For example, they use 'feeling fish' to help children express themselves and they provide story bags and activities for parents to use, helping to encourage learning at home. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and feel confident to leave their children in the care of staff who know them well.

Children benefit from healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. For example, they enjoy tasting rice, beans, fresh fruit and oatcakes. Staff are passionate in their approach to healthy eating.

They make good use of training to successfully improve children's nutrition, and involve parents as they share information and advice.Children have good opportunities to be active and they move freely around the pre-school. Staff take children on regular outings, for example, to the local play park.

Children enjoy playing on the roundabouts and rocking horse, taking care to manage risks. Staff use their knowledge of children's capabilities to ensure they use large play equipment safely.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff have attended safeguarding training and have a secure understanding of how to recognise and report concerns about a child's welfare. Risk assessments and safeguarding policies are detailed and robust, to inform their practices. For instance, staff ensure that they manage children's access to technology resources securely and offer parents online safety training to ensure children are well protected.

Staff supervise children well and help to minimise any risks, such as teaching children to be aware of risks and dangers on outings. This helps children to feel safe and secure in their environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: sharpen the focus on monitoring staff practice, to help set precise targets for how the quality of teaching can be raised to an even higher level nenhance learning opportunities for younger children during group activities so that they experience equally challenging experiences as the older children.