Queen Eleanor Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children have excellent relationships with staff, which is a high expectation promoted by the setting. When children first arrive at the setting, they choose their own key person. Children value the praise they receive from staff which supports their emotional well-being.

They demonstrate that they are happy and safe. Children's behaviour is good; they take turns and share the toys.Children are confident and eager to learn.

They are polite and courteous; for instance, they say 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff have high expectations of children. They plan and provide activities around children's interests.

Staff... ensure children are offered a well-thought-out curriculum. This helps to ensure that all children make good progress in their learning and development. For example, staff track children's play closely and quickly identify any gaps in their learning.

They offer appropriate support for children who need it the most in order for them to progress in their development. Children delight in sharing snack time together. They develop their social and language skills as they interact and engage in conversations with staff and their friends.

Children talk about how to keep healthy and what food is good for them. Children's independence skills are supported well. For example, at snack time, they choose the fruit they like and pour drinks from a jug carefully.

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

Partnerships with parents are strong and parents speak highly of staff. Before children start at the setting, staff gather useful information from parents about their child. This supports children in having a smooth transition into the setting and reassures parents.

Parents state that their children settle well and are regularly informed about their child's progress. Staff work closely with parents of children who require extra support, for example sharing new strategies to help them to manage their children's behaviour at home. This ensures that children receive consistent messages about what is expected of them.

Staff support children's language and communication skills well. They continually model words clearly to help to develop children's vocabulary. Staff take swift action to seek help for children who require extra support to develop their speaking skills.

Children thoroughly enjoy exploring and investigating the good range of activities both inside and outside. However, on occasions, staff do not make the most of children's play and interests to extend and challenge them to learn as much as possible.The manager supports staff effectively.

She monitors their professional development well and clearly identifies any training and support needs to improve their performance. For example, she invites them to attend supervision meetings termly and undertakes regular observations of staff with appropriate feedback given.Staff are attentive to children's needs and children are keen to talk to them about what they are doing and learning.

However, on occasions, staff do not extend their questioning to help children think more deeply about their ideas and thoughts.Children benefit from a well-equipped garden to support their learning and interests. For example, children independently access different mark-making resources to support their early writing skills.

They relish in making marks on their 'bug den' with the crayons and paint. Children extend their own learning and use other resources to make marks on, such as sticky tape and chalk boards. They take great pride in sharing with the staff what they have achieved.

Visitors from the local community attend the setting to broaden children's experiences from home. They engage in discussions with the children about various uses of transport to get to the library. Children deepen their knowledge and understanding of how to protect their local environment.

They come up with the idea to use a bus to visit the library to minimise the use of cars and pollution.During circle time, children have the chance to 'show and tell'. A bird's nest is brought in and children confidently talk about what they have found.

Other children are curious, listen carefully and sit patiently as they wait for their turn to see the nest. Children show good levels of concentration, which helps to support their readiness for the next stage in their learning, such as school.Any children who have food allergies are supported well.

Staff have clear systems in place to prevent cross-contamination at snack times, to ensure children's dietary needs are met. Furthermore, children's health is promoted effectively, for example as they spend plenty of time outside exercising in the fresh air.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff have a secure understanding of the signs of abuse and where to report concerns about children's safety and welfare. Staff attend training, including on child protection, paediatric first aid and the 'Prevent' duty. They have a good understanding of wider safeguarding issues.

The manager understands her responsibility to work with other agencies to promote children's safety. Risk assessments are completed thoroughly to ensure that children are kept safe. This helps to provide a safe environment for children.

The setting's safeguarding policy is reviewed regularly. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: make the most of children's play and interests to extend and challenge them so they learn as much as possible nimprove the way staff ask questions, in order to help children think more deeply about their ideas and thoughts.