Sandringham Pre-school

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Practitioners and the manager greet children and their families with a warm and friendly welcome. They share key information to help to support children throughout the day.

Practitioners are attentive to children's emotional needs. They give children cuddles and reassurance when they need it. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

Children are happy and enjoy their time at the setting. Practitioners interact and engage well with children during activities and in the garden. However, there are inconsistencies in the quality of education throughout the setting.

This is because the routine does not meet all ch...ildren's needs and some parts of the day are not planned effectively. This means that some children do not achieve as well as they could. Practitioners do not always plan and provide quality learning experiences that keep all children engaged.

As a result, some children are not focused, and display unwanted behaviour. Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. They have access to indoor and outdoor space, where they can move in different ways.

Children enjoy using equipment, such as bicycles, rockers and climbing apparatus. However, practitioners do not give children consistent messages about their expectations. For instance, they do not give children clear boundaries of where they are allowed to run and move freely inside.

This is confusing for children and leads to them running throughout the room.

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

The manager is clear about what she wants children to learn. However, she does not ensure that the curriculum is ambitious enough.

Practitioners provide activities that do not always incorporate children's interests. This means that some children lose focus and do not benefit from the planned learning.Practitioners know their key children well.

They use their assessments to plan children's next steps in learning. However, they do not always encourage all children to join in activities. This leads to children running around and lacking opportunities to become involved in purposeful learning and play.

The current routine does not always support every child's needs. For example, practitioners plan for children to have time in the garden at midday; however, children show signs early in the morning that they need to be active. This means that some children do not focus on activities and are disruptive at group times.

This can impact on children's learning.Practitioners do not always manage children's behaviour well. For example, when practitioners ask children to stop running, they do not always follow through with this, and children continue the unwanted behaviour.

When children are in conflict situations with others, they are not told why their actions are unacceptable. This means that children do not learn the expectations for their behaviour or the impact that their actions have on others.The manager recognises that the supervision of practitioners is not embedded effectively.

Supervision and the monitoring of teaching and practice do not happen regularly enough. This means that the quality of the setting is not always good. Weaknesses in practice are not swiftly addressed to improve the outcomes for all children.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) identifies and monitors children who may need additional support. She has a good understanding of strategies to support children. The SENCo works with parents and other professionals to ensure that appropriate support is in place for children.

However, due to the lack of supervision, practitioners do not always have the confidence to provide the support they need. This can impact on children's individual learning and development needs.Practitioners provide children with opportunities to learn about different cultures and a range of festivals.

For example, at Lunar New Year, practitioners share information and items with children, such as soft animals that represent the zodiac. This helps children to learn about the wider world and different communities.Children learn good hygiene routines.

They wash their hands regularly and are encouraged to use the toilet independently. Practitioners gently remind children to cover their mouths when they cough.Practitioners provide opportunities for children to learn about early mathematical concepts.

For example, during a dough activity, they encourage children to count the matchsticks they are using. Practitioners introduce language to describe size while commenting on their actions.Practitioners provide a range of experiences for children to develop their communication and language skills.

They introduce new words and sing songs with children. Practitioners talk to children during their play and narrate what they are doing. They gather key words and use visual cards to support children who speak English as an additional language with their communication.

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 meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date deliver an ambitious curriculum to challenge and engage every child in their learning and development 28/03/2024 review the routine so that all children benefit from the learning environment on a daily basis 28/03/2024 review and improve how children's behaviour is managed so that practitioners manage unwanted behaviour in a consistent way 28/03/2024 put effective arrangements in place for the regular supervision of all practitioners, including monitoring their teaching and practice, to identify and address weaknesses.

28/03/2024