Potley Hill Community Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager is passionate about her role and responsibilities. Since taking up her position she has inspired the team and the approach of the pre-school to be more centred towards children's own choices.

Children now explore with more natural resources to build on their sensory experiences. The pre-school is working hard towards an external accreditation to recognise this ethos. Children are safe and secure.

The areas of the pre-school are risk assessed and gates are locked at all times to provide children with the freedom to explore in their play and learning. Children behave well. Staff are good role models who help ...children to learn about acceptable behaviour and their expectations.

Older children use their skills to play and negotiate well with others and younger children are supported to quickly develop these skills. There is a firm focus on helping children and staff to develop a strong sense of belonging. However, staff occasionally do not quickly adapt to changing situations on outings, or continually support much quieter children.

Staff and children share their family trees which are lovingly displayed to help form a truly inclusive culture. Children enjoy looking at the photographs on the large screen to recall their past experiences and promote to the setting how unique each child is.

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

The manager uses self-evaluation very well.

Actions and areas for improvement are clear, concise and ambitious. The views and comments of staff, parents and children are valued in helping to identify further areas for change.Partnerships with parents and other professionals are strong and highly effective.

Parents are fully included in all aspects of their children's development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well with a joined-up approach towards their future learning. Children who speak English as an additional language quickly grasp new words and are able to express their own needs with the gentle encouragement of the staff.

The staff team is supported through a good use of regular supervision meetings. They play a large part in planning for their own professional development. An inclusive culture is present in the staff team who take responsibility for reflecting on their practice and the opportunities they provide for their key children.

Staff are embarking on courses for sign language and forest school to continually help children to build higher levels of communication and language and exploring the wonder of the outdoors.Staff support children's emerging communication and language well. Children are given time to respond to questions asked of them and this helps them to use their increasing range of vocabulary.

Children are using their own recall and memory skills as they recite passages from their favourite stories.Children quickly master the routines of the pre-school and independently make their own choices in their play and learning. For instance, they access the writing area to make up their own stories and enjoy using the typewriter to form new letters.

Children use the many letters displayed to help them make marks and start to recognise that these hold meaning. They use the various paints and brushes outdoors to form new patterns and shapes.Children have an abundance of opportunities to be physically active.

They balance and use their spatial awareness as they build bridges in the garden. Children are naturally inquisitive in their play. For example, they investigate with ice and form their own solutions to figure out how to help it melt.

The manager and the staff team closely monitor and track the development of children. This helps them to quickly identify potential gaps in their learning and provide additional support if required. Although staff are caring and attentive, occasionally they do not quickly respond and adapt to changing situations when on outings, to continuously meet the needs of all children.

Children are learning about their immediate community and the wider world around them. They are building high levels of care and empathy as they embark on their weekly outings to an elderly residents' home, where they join in with group singing time. Children delight in their woodlands walks to learn about nature.

Staff provide varied and stimulating learning environments to help children to become excited and curious learners. However, quieter children at times are overlooked, which does not continually help to build confidence in their own abilities and in group situations.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a good understanding of how to identify potential signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures they would use to report any concerns. This helps to support the welfare of children. The manager uses robust recruitment processes, which helps to guarantee the suitability of staff who work directly with the children.

Staff receive consistent training and opportunities to update their knowledge of wider and changing safeguarding issues, such as protecting children from radicalisation and how to stay safe online when using early technology. This helps children to build an early awareness in learning to protect themselves.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: help staff further to quickly respond and adapt to changing situations, to continuously meet the needs of all children support quieter children, to help to build confidence in their own abilities and in group situations.

Also at this postcode