St James Pre-School and After School Club (Church House)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Leaders and staff create a welcoming environment for all children. From the moment they arrive to the time they leave, children are supported, taught and nurtured by caring and compassionate staff, who know them well. Staff work closely with parents to help children feel comfortable and reassured when they start at the pre-school.

They settle in new children slowly, giving them time to learn routines and build strong relationships with staff.Leaders develop a curriculum that is ambitious for all children. They precisely monitor children's behaviour, learning and development.

This helps them sequence children's learning... to support their continuous progress. They promptly adapt activities when they watch how children play and interact with resources. This means all children receive appropriate attention and challenge to meet their needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language.

Staff keep children safe while they explore the exciting and stimulating environment. This promotes children's natural curiosity, motivation and focus. Staff share children's delight when they pretend to make dinner in the sand, splash in glittery water and sing their favourite songs.

Children learn to make friends and share their experiences with others. This provides them with a strong foundation, from which to build friendships and a love of learning together.

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

Leaders and staff successfully help children make progress and become resilient, confident learners.

From the outset, they work with parents to identify children's learning styles, interests and unique characters. This helps staff create a curriculum that successfully builds and consolidates children's skills, knowledge and learning.Leaders ensure they use any additional funding effectively to provide better outcomes for all children, including those with SEND.

They work with other professionals to provide tailored support for children and their families when required. They build good relationships with other settings that children attend.Leaders support staff well.

They hold regular meetings to discuss children's progress, staff well-being and professional development opportunities. Staff demonstrate confident and successful teaching strategies. For example, they reflect on, plan and extend all children's learning at the right time, to provide appropriate guidance to support their individual needs.

Staff develop children's communication and language skills well. They create innovative ways to support all children to express their needs. For instance, staff place visual communication cards in all areas of the pre-school to help children voice their choices or requests.

Staff strengthen this further when they speak clearly and use sign language to develop children's vocabulary. This helps children build confidence to speak and use new words, including familiar words in their home language.Staff provide children with opportunities to build their strength, coordination and spatial awareness.

Children enjoy physical activities, such as digging, running, climbing and pushing themselves on ride-on cars. Staff challenge and extend children's skills, such as during exercise and movement sessions. Children gain a growing awareness of their bodies and their physical capability.

Staff read stories and sing rhymes to children throughout the day. This provides children with a chance to snuggle up and relax, and to share their own experiences with one another. Children understand familiar words and phrases.

Staff develop effective ways to improve and nurture children's love of books. For instance, parents borrow books to read with children at home.Staff provide children with consistent routines that support good health and self-care.

They encourage children to develop their independence skills, such as during snack time. Children have opportunities to practise and hone their new skills in preparation for their future learning, such as when they go to school.Leaders and staff create an inclusive environment where all children feel comfortable and relaxed.

For example, they embrace the diversity of the families who attend. This supports children to appreciate their uniqueness and to develop a sense of self-worth. However, staff do not make the most of opportunities to enhance the curriculum further, to help all children learn more about the lives of others and their community, in real and meaningful ways.

Children demonstrate positive behaviours when they spend time with staff. Staff help children understand their feelings and emotions, especially at times when they might feel overwhelmed or anxious. In time, this helps children's self-confidence to develop new friendships and enjoy the company of others.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenrich the curriculum to further extend children's understanding of the richly diverse communities in which they live.