Shilbottle Friendly Frog Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

This is an extremely friendly and inclusive setting. Staff are very caring and kind. They enjoy lovely relationships with children in their care.

Staff are positive role models. Their interactions with children are responsive and respectful. Children are very settled and happy.

Well-established routines help them feel safe. Behaviour is good and there is a strong focus on friendship and cooperation. For example, children wait patiently for their turn as they play board games with their friends.

They help carry toys together and play cooperatively as they build train tracks and explore with marbles.Support for ...personal development is excellent. Staff are highly skilled at supporting children to explore and manage their own emotions.

For instance, children are encouraged each morning to visit the feelings table. They use pictures to identify and discuss how they are feeling that day. All children are encouraged to use sign language to support them to communicate well with staff and each other.

Children benefit from a wide range of interesting activities. They are enthusiastic and eager to learn. The experienced staff are ambitious for all children in the setting and are passionate about the service they provide.

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

The quality of teaching is good and at times outstanding. Individual interaction during learning is skilful and sensitive. There is scope, however, to review deployment of staff at group times to enhance support for children's learning still further.

Support for children with additional needs is excellent. The setting has strong relationships with the local school and other professionals. This helps create a consistent approach to children's development and prepare them for school or future learning.

Relationships with parents are very strong. Staff provide detailed information about what children know and can do. Parents are encouraged to share examples of their children's achievements.

Staff engage parents in their children's learning. For example, they lend story sacks and music bags to families.Children's physical development is very good.

Children are encouraged to join in with exercises and dance. Staff draw lines with chalk on the playground for the children to balance on and patterns for them to follow. Children play running games with staff and use climbing equipment to help develop their strength.

They are helped to use scissors and challenged to pick up pom-poms with tweezers to practise their coordination. Support for mathematical learning is good. Staff count with the children.

They draw with chalk around the children's shoes and ask them to compare the size of their feet.There is strong support for children's growing confidence and independence.Children are encouraged to collect their coats and access their drinks.

They make healthy choices at snack time and decide what they would like to play with next. They are encouraged to wash their hands and to fetch and put away their toys. There are rich opportunities for children to explore the wider world, for example, through outings to the cinema, beach and library.

Children's communication and language development is good. Staff provide clear instructions and check for children's understanding. They have lovely conversations with the children and ensure that they maintain eye contact, so children know they are being listened to.

There is a strong focus on children becoming good listeners.Children enjoy exciting activities. For instance, they draw with large movements on rolls of paper.

This helps to promote the skills they will eventually need for early writing. Children listen to stories, explore with musical instruments, and make their own dough by identifying ingredients and following instructions.Staff gather the views of parents and evaluate activities with children.

They use this information to help shape plans for continuous improvement. Managers meet regularly with staff to promote their professional development. They plan a programme of training that equips staff to support the children in their care effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff discuss with children the potential dangers of talking to strangers.

Staff encourage children to move around the setting safely and keep toys tidy so that they do not trip. Managers and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities around safeguarding. They know how to identify any concerns with children or staff, what procedures to follow and who to contact.

Managers and staff stay up to date with strategies to keep children safe. The setting is secure and there are robust policies in place to support safe practice.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the deployment of staff to better support children during group times, in order to raise the quality of teaching and learning still further.

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