Preschool@stmarks

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children's happiness and well-being are prioritised in this nurturing pre-school.

Staff and managers understand the importance of supporting children to gain confidence and feel safe. They provide home visits for all new children. This helps the team to find out about the child and their family and supports a positive transition to the setting.

As a result, children settle quickly among familiar adults.Children arrive with excitement for their sessions at this nurturing pre-school. They are greeted individually at the door by the caring team and quickly settle at an activity of their choosing.

Staff and manage...rs get to know all children and they begin to develop trusting relationships. This helps children to build strong bonds with individuals who become their key person.Children strengthen their muscles as they practise going up and down the steps of the indoor slide.

Staff wait at the bottom to maintain children's safety as they explore different ways of moving down the slide. They smile with glee after safely sliding headfirst. Children practise rolling different vehicles down the slope.

They take turns with their friends, saying 'ready, steady, go' before letting go. Children share resources with support from the caring team.

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

Staff and managers recognise the importance of children being able to make choices about their learning.

This means that activities are selected through children's input. For instance, staff observe children's play and talk to them about their interests. They provide activities, such as tracks and vehicles, that they know children enjoy.

Staff join children in their play to support their learning. However, the curriculum is not yet fully embedded, which means that staff are not always fully aware of how they can challenge and consolidate children's learning.Children attending this pre-school make good progress with their speech and language.

Staff and managers talk to children clearly and support the development of their key vocabulary. For instance, when playing alongside children with small animals, staff clearly name each animal. Children repeat this language and use it confidently in their play.

Children demonstrate excellent listening and attention during circle times. They join in with singing and take turns to identify their name and photograph.Staff and managers support children to manage and regulate their strong emotions.

They talk to children about how they are feeling and allow them to express themselves openly. Staff and managers are positive role models and demonstrate kindness to all members of the pre-school. They create reward systems for children who sometimes struggle to follow rules and boundaries.

Children are proud of themselves when they receive a sticker for being kind and helpful.Children are encouraged to live healthy lifestyles. Staff teach children about the use of toothbrushes and support families with visits from the local dentist.

Children are offered a variety of fruit each day and have fresh water readily available in their bottles. They practise buttering their own crackers at snack time and eat healthy food at lunchtime. Sometimes, however, children are not given the opportunity to try to do things for themselves.

For instance, they are not always encouraged to try to put their own coats on.Staff and managers have developed positive relationships with parents. They communicate effectively and share important information between each other.

Parents are informed about their children's progress and receive feedback on their weekly activities. They say that their children have blossomed during their time in pre-school and have developed their awareness of road safety through regular walks around the local area.There are appropriate systems in place to monitor children's development.

Staff and managers take swift action when they feel that a child is not making the expected level of progress. They liaise appropriately with parents to share concerns and make necessary referrals to outside agencies. Parents, staff and other agencies work together to develop strategies that support children to develop.

This means that children make good progress from their starting points.Recent changes to the leadership and management of the pre-school have been carried out sensitively, and staff have felt supported throughout the process. Leaders and managers respond positively to change and have positive visions for the future of the pre-school.

Professional development opportunities are encouraged throughout the team, and staff understand some of their training needs. However, staff supervision is not yet fully developed. This means that staff are not always made aware of how they can improve their teaching skills further.

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: support staff to implement the curriculum more precisely, so that interactions are consistently effective at extending and consolidating children's knowledge and learning intentions are met support staff to understand how to encourage children to develop their independence skills further strengthen supervision opportunities for staff, supporting them to reflect on their practice and develop their teaching even further.