Snuggles Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle happily in this small, family-like and caring pre-school. Staff help children to feel valued, for example by smiling and using lots of eye contact with them.

Staff ensure that they find out about children's likes and dislikes. They use this information to provide activities that children enjoy. Staff have high expectations of children.

The curriculum is broad and stimulating. Children make good progress and learn beneficial skills in preparation for school. Children learn about difference.

For instance, staff teach them about different traditional dance movements from countries around the world.... Children learn about special festivals, such as Eid and Chinese New Year. Children develop a good understanding about the world.

Staff teach children about biodiversity, such as by having a meadow of uncut grass and wild flowers in the garden. Children enjoy exploring the garden and express delight when they find snails. Staff teach children about how snails live.

Children develop good physical skills. They balance skilfully on tree stumps and steer wheeled toys carefully around the garden. Children practise their throwing and catching skills, using beanbags and balls.

They develop good mathematical skills. Children have a secure knowledge of different shape names, including three-dimensional shapes. Staff sing number songs with children, who count securely.

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

Children have good communication, language and literacy skills. Staff share stories with children in various interesting ways, such as by using puppets and recorded stories. They support children's language skills by asking children to talk about special items they bring into the pre-school from home.

Children develop good creative skills. They enjoy exploring the texture of different grains and cereals and use paint to make butterfly pictures. Staff encourage children to make three-dimensional models from play dough.

Children develop good independence skills. They clean their faces and hands after eating. Staff teach them how to dress themselves.

Children pour their own drinks.Children behave well. Staff remind children of group rules, such as using their 'kind hands' and 'indoor voices'.

They talk to children about any disagreements they may have with others and help them to resolve them. Children learn to share and take turns well.Children act in safe ways.

They know to walk indoors and use the stairs with care and caution. Children use scissors in safe ways. Staff teach children about road safety and children act with care and caution when they go outdoors.

The manager offers good levels of support to staff. She meets with each staff member regularly to review and support their work. The manager monitors their work well.

For example, she spends time in group rooms to observe practice and gives feedback to staff to promote best outcomes for children. The manager is committed to staff's development and provides good opportunities to attend a variety of training courses. For instance, staff attended a course on supporting children's mental health, which has led to a greater awareness in this area.

The manager evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the pre-school and has clear goals for ongoing improvement. For example, she plans to develop the outdoor area further to enhance children's understanding of the world.Staff work closely with parents.

They provide regular feedback to parents about their children's progress by talking with them each day. Staff also share this information in secure electronic children's journals, which parents have access to. Staff provide good ways for parents to support children's learning, such as lending books from the pre-school for children to read with their parents at home.

The manager provides healthy routines for children. For instance, they have nutritious snacks which meet their special dietary needs. Staff ensure that children have opportunities for daily physical exercise.

They teach children about good oral hygiene. For instance, staff support children to learn about foods and drinks that promote healthy teeth and gums. They teach children how to brush their teeth, and they read stories to promote this further.

Overall, staff engage well with children to support their learning as they play. However, at times, staff do not consistently provide opportunities for children to learn to solve problems for themselves. For instance, staff sometimes show children how to balance bricks instead of encouraging them to try to work out how to do this for themselves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff view children's safety as highly important. The manager ensures that secure background checks are carried out on staff to ensure their suitability for their roles.

Staff carry out health and safety checks which cover all parts of the pre-school, including the outdoor area, to reduce the risk of hazards. Staff have good safeguarding knowledge. They can identify the indicators that might suggest that a child is at risk of abuse.

Staff have a full understanding of the procedures to follow to report their concerns to protect children from harm. Staff attend regular training to update their safeguarding knowledge.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop children's problem-solving skills more consistently.