Ready Steady Grow Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children eagerly arrive at the pre-school and demonstrate that they feel safe, happy and emotionally secure.

They form close bonds with all staff, including their key person, and make friends with others. Children are enthusiastic learners and become quickly absorbed in their play. Staff actively encourage children to develop their independence and sense of responsibility.

For example, children learn to wipe their own noses and wash their hands. Children behave well and learn the importance of being respectful to others, to share and take turns. Children receive praise for their efforts and achievements.

This ...develops their self-esteem and motivates them to continue to persevere at their chosen task. Children proudly share their collage pictures and the marks they make on boards. They explain that the pictures are for their families, to make them happy.

Children have good physical and number skills. For instance, staff show them how to catch and throw balls. They count the number of times they catch the ball and squeal with delight as they do this.

Children's vocabulary is extended well. For example, staff introduce new words, such as 'octopus', as children splash and find pretend sea creatures in the water tray. Children fully engage themselves in imaginary play.

They make pretend roast dinners, using real vegetables, before serving them to their friends.

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

A welcoming and friendly atmosphere greets all children and their families. Partnerships with parents are good.

During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the manager and staff have maintained effective telephone and online contact with the children and their families. They have recorded stories and suggested activity ideas. Consequently, children's return to the pre-school has been successful.

The manager and the staff team provide good-quality care and learning experiences. They structure the curriculum to support and build on what the children know and can already do. The manager values everyone's contribution to the pre-school.

There is a strong team spirit.Parents comment very positively about their children's experiences at the pre-school. They value the information that staff share about their children's learning.

Parents admire staff's commitment to ensuring that children achieve a good level of development. They comment on their children's good progress since attending the pre-school.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of funded early education make very good progress in their learning.

There is a strong commitment to working with external agencies. Staff act on the advice given to them to provide purposeful activities to excel children's learning. For instance, staff introduce activities which involve rolling hoops and wheels to strengthen children's physical skills and coordination.

Staff monitor children's progress regularly, which means that they address and close any gaps in learning quickly. Recent monitoring found a weakness in children's social skills, after time away from the pre-school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff skilfully led extra group songs and game times to further extend children's vocabulary and support their social interactions.

Children follow daily routines with confidence and show good levels of independence. Young children feed themselves independently. Older children pour their own drinks and skilfully open their own lunch boxes.

Staff engage children in conversations about healthy eating, drinking plenty of water and keeping their teeth healthy by eating less sugary foods and brushing their teeth regularly.Staff promote children's interest in books and familiar stories. Children readily choose their own book and share with adults.

Older children narrate stories as they look at the pictures, and younger children learn how to handle books appropriately.Children receive good support as they get ready to move on to the next stages in their lives and school. Staff share detailed reports with parents, meet teachers and support children in their school visits by attending their schools during settling-in sessions.

This helps children to feel very secure and ready for the next stage of their learning.Children celebrate festivals and traditions. There are clear intentions for children to learn about what makes them unique and what they have in common with each other.

However, some staff are not as skilled at supporting children in this.Staff speak of the support they receive from management and clearly enjoy their work. The manager supports staff and makes their workloads more manageable by offering time in the day to complete paperwork.

Staff attend regular training to further enhance their professional development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff are able to recognise potential safeguarding concerns.

They understand the importance of taking prompt action to help to protect children from harm. The manager liaises effectively with outside agencies and helps to support children and their families when the need arises. Staff complete regular training to strengthen their knowledge of safeguarding issues, such as online safety for children.

They complete daily checks to ensure that the premises and outdoor area are safe and secure. The manager follows secure recruitment procedures and ensures that essential background checks are carried out to make sure that 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: strengthen staff's knowledge so that they all are confident to implement ways of supporting children to learn about the diverse world they live in.

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