St Edmunds Pre-School Kindergarten

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

The provider plans a highly inclusive and exciting curriculum that she and staff enthusiastically deliver to children.

She is meticulous in her use of the space, resources and time available, to provide activities in which children rapidly become absorbed. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are extremely settled, confident and motivated to learn. Staff, who set out and put away all equipment each day, provide a highly engaging learning environment.

They know all children and their families extremely well and maintain high expectations of what every child can achieve.... They continually enable children to build on their interests in an exceptionally calm but fun-focused learning environment. Even the youngest children concentrate on activities for prolonged periods of time.

Staff are extremely skilled in helping children to rapidly develop their communication, language and mathematical skills. Assessment is thorough from the start and staff work with parents and various professionals to help children make rapid progress. Children initiate ideas at every opportunity and remain highly focused and busy.

They develop very close attachments to staff, behave impeccably and develop high levels of independence and emotional well-being. They are more than ready for the next stages in their learning.

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

The provider uses her extensive experience and understanding of how children develop to create an excellent learning environment.

She meticulously uses the views of parents, staff, children and others to improve children's experiences. The provider works tirelessly alongside staff. She offers them ongoing professional development opportunities and support to continually improve their practice.

She supports children and their families exceptionally well. Parents say they feel the levels of care and learning are excellent and that staff prepare their children extremely well for school.Staff teach children in a relaxed and remarkably focused way.

For example, they read stories with excellent expression that captivates all children's interest from the start. Children love to join in and help to read stories to the group. They choose books that mark the similarities and differences between themselves and others, and delight in exploring these together.

They show an exemplary sense of respect towards one another and learn how to embrace diversity in a naturally inclusive way.The whole staff team provides highly challenging activities. Children show great interest in recognising letters and exploring the sounds that form words.

They competently use programmable equipment. Staff remind children to think about what they did last time to help them complete a computer game. Children use words such as 'click' and 'keyboard' as they move the computer mouse.

They laugh and clap to congratulate themselves when they remember what to do.Staff use such experiences extremely well to teach children about personal safety, including through discussions about their use of the internet at home.Staff use ongoing commentary, ask highly interesting questions and sign with their hands and fingers to help all children think and respond.

For example, they ask children to make connections between the shapes they choose for a sticking activity and real objects. Children show immense concentration, for instance, as they link a rectangle shape to a brick. Staff model and repeat new words, such as 'tweezers', 'spikey', and 'sticking', as children practise their hand and finger movements.

All children show a very mature ability to do things for themselves for their ages and stages of development. Even the youngest children spontaneously put their chairs away after group activities. Children continually persevere to complete tasks, such as fastening their shoes and coats, without prompting.

Older children offer help to the younger ones where needed.Children show excellent confidence in counting and number recognition. Some can count objects correctly to 14 while others recognise numerals up to 10 or know exactly how many chairs they need for story time.

Staff are highly effective in teaching children the benefits of exercise, eating well and following excellent hygiene practices. Children are quick to learn, for example, as they select highly nutritious snacks with spoons and help themselves to water. They spontaneously cough into the crooks of their arms and know this helps to prevent the spread of germs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider and her staff team are highly vigilant and keep up to date with child protection issues. They have a highly confident understanding of the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm and know how to swiftly locate and follow procedures for reporting any concerns.

The provider engages extremely well with her staff team to ensure children are safe and well cared for wherever they go. She uses thorough risk assessments to ensure that children can explore and follow routines independently, but always within safe boundaries. Staff use all opportunities to teach children how to keep themselves and others safe.