Sparkles Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and secure. They arrive for the morning session and rush inside. Practitioners speak fondly of children.

Children develop strong bonds with their key persons and look to them for reassurance. Children are well behaved and play together well. Older children make up their own games.

For example, they take turns throwing balls into tyres in the garden. Children quickly make friends. Younger children choose to play alongside each other.

They giggle excitedly as they enjoy games of peekaboo together. Older children seek out their friends as they arrive in the mornings and enjoy chatting over lunc...h.Children make good progress across the seven areas of learning.

Practitioners have focused on supporting children's social and language development following the COVID-19 pandemic. Children express their creativity freely. They take glitter and resources from the art area and use them to create patterns in the sand.

Older children confidently explain mathematical concepts. For example, they line up blueberries from their lunch boxes in order of size and say, 'This one is big, but this one is even bigger.' Children are growing in independence.

Practitioners understand when to offer help and when to stand back and allow children to achieve tasks for themselves.

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

Practitioners identify accurately the next steps for children's learning. They plan a balanced curriculum, which is implemented through a wide range of activities based around children's interests and learning needs.

Consequently, children are generally well engaged and make good progress from their starting points in learning.Practitioners do not always make the most of partnerships with other settings, to identify individual children's starting points accurately. Nevertheless, they make effective observations and assessments of children in their care and quickly put effective strategies in place for children who need additional support.

Children's large-muscle skills develop quickly. Children have daily access to the pre-school garden. Practitioners encourage younger children to challenge their physical abilities on the climbing frame, while helping them to stay safe.

Children manoeuvre bikes quickly and skilfully on a path around the climbing frame. However, practitioners do not consistently think about how children can move around all areas of the garden. Some children are hesitant to cross this path.

As a result, they are not always able to access confidently the full range of learning opportunities available.Children's language and communication progress quickly. Children who arrive at the setting with very little speech rapidly acquire new vocabulary.

Practitioners introduce children to new language. For example, they use words such as 'floral' when they add scented lavender to play dough.Children are well supported to manage their emotions and to express their feelings.

For example, older children discuss with practitioners that they feel nervous about starting school. Children understand the importance of sharing and taking turns. They explain that 'all the things at Sparkles belong to everyone'.

Children participate enthusiastically at story time. Practitioners understand how to bring stories to life. This enhances children's concentration and engagement.

As a result, children develop a love of books and reading.Children's health is well promoted. They explain confidently to practitioners that they must wash their hands before and after meals to 'wash away the germs'.

Children enjoy a healthy snack of fruit and drink water frequently throughout the session.Practitioners explain that they feel well supported and valued by the provider. They have access to regular training to extend their knowledge and skills.

Leaders hold regular supervision sessions to help practitioners identify how they might improve their practice. Several practitioners are new to the setting. The provider is aware that some areas of their practice could be strengthened further.

For example, practitioners set out a rich stimulating environment for the morning session but do not re-set the room in the afternoon. Although the available resources continue to support children's learning well, the children attending in the afternoons do not display the same excitement as those attending in the morning.Parents feel well informed about their children's progress.

They receive regular updates via the setting's online record-keeping software. Leaders make good use of social media and the setting's website to share information about children's activities and local support services, such as the nearby children's centre.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are robust vetting and recruitment procedures in place to ensure that all those working with children are suitable to do so. Leaders and staff attend regular first-aid and safeguarding training, including on the 'Prevent' duty. The designated safeguarding leads attend local safeguarding forums to ensure that their knowledge remains up to date.

Staff understand the signs that indicate a child may be at risk of harm and know the action they should take. Practitioners communicate effectively using walkie-talkies to keep themselves and children safe when using the different areas of the premises.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen partnerships with other settings, to identify children's starting points more accurately and to further enhance the planning for their individual needs nenable children to move comfortably from one area to another in the garden nensure that the organisation of the environment consistently inspires awe and wonder for all children.