Ridgewood Preschool CIO

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and eager to arrive at pre-school.

Children are engaged and challenged to learn due to the high expectations that staff have of them. Staff consider children's interests and needs, to support them with their learning. Staff recognise that the majority of children who attend the pre-school prefer to be outside, therefore they have made changes to the environment to ensure that children can access all areas of the curriculum outdoors independently.

Staff deploy themselves well to enable children to access the outdoors throughout the day. Staff act as positive role models as they play alongside children..., modelling language and introducing new words to extend children's vocabulary. Children are confident at making their own choices about what they would like to play with.

They select the resources independently and enjoy exploring the wide range of interesting activities that staff plan for them. Staff are skilled at encouraging children to problem solve. For instance, children work out what materials they need to create their own models.

All children behave well. Staff encourage children to learn to manage conflicts independently and they are close by to support the younger children who find it difficult to share.

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

Leaders place high emphasis on the well-being of staff.

They have reviewed how they can support staff in their roles within the pre-school, such as through regular meetings and sharing information. Staff say that this has had a positive impact on their work.Staff help children to understand and recognise their emotions and the feelings of other living things around them.

For example, as children search for insects in the garden, staff talk about how the insects may be scared of them. This leads children to consider their feelings as they talk about what fear is like.Staff act as positive role models.

They support children's literacy and communication skills well. For instance, they use children's interests along with props to excite children and engage them in telling stories. Children confidently use the props independently, to act out stories using their imaginations.

Staff work closely with parents to encourage children's learning at home. Parents take activities home to do with their children to support learning further.Leaders and staff use successful methods to monitor, assess and plan for children, to help them to make the progress of which they are capable.

Staff swiftly identify gaps in learning and put plans in place to support children's individual needs. All children, including those in receipt of additional funding and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to learn.Staff support children's physical development well.

The introduction of a 'wake and shake' session encourages children to join in with being physical and moving their whole bodies, to get them ready to concentrate and to be engaged in learning. However, staff do not consistently use the opportunities that arise to encourage children to learn how to keep themselves safe as they run around in the garden.Leaders and staff work well as a team to implement a shared approach to improving their practice further.

The leader observes staff practice and all staff are involved in evaluating their skills to identify areas for improvement.All children develop strong attachments with their key persons and the other staff. However, staff miss opportunities to encourage children to make secure friendships with other children when they are playing with staff or alone.

Leaders and staff work well with other professionals to create a shared and consistent approach to supporting children's learning. Staff attend meetings and use information gathered, to help children to make good progress with their development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff have secure procedures in place to keep children safe. They understand the need to act quickly and report any concerns they may have about children in their care. Staff know the signs that may alert them to any concerns about a child's welfare.

The leader regularly checks staff knowledge, and staff undertake training to keep their skills up to date. Leaders and staff work closely with other professionals involved in children's care to provide a shared approach to monitoring welfare.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: make better use of the opportunities that arise to support children to learn how to identify risks and keep themselves safe, with particular regard to when they are running in the garden support children to make relationships and develop friendships with other children in pre-school.

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