St Leonards Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children feel happy and secure at this pre-school. They thrive from close attachments with kind staff.

Children receive cuddles when they feel tired or in need of reassurance. Staff work well together to create a welcoming environment in the large hall and additional rooms. Staff know what they want children to learn, the activities they will provide and how they can support children's learning.

For example, staff show children how to use a hammer and nails safely. Children concentrate as they make their wooden plane or helicopter and show great delight as they paint it different colours of their choice.Staff talk to p...arents and carers to find out about children's interests.

They use this knowledge to decide how best to engage children in the curriculum, choosing the right activity and/or environment. This helps to meet the needs of children, including those who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All children make good progress.

Children behave very well, play cooperatively and are learning to share. For example, children thoroughly enjoy different games with a colourful recreational play parachute. This helps to teach teamwork and cooperation and increases children's strength, agility, coordination and endurance.

Staff have high expectations of the children and are committed to provide the best possible support to children and their families within the community.

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

Staff recognise the impact that the COVID-19 restrictions have had on children's early childhood experiences. Staff provide good support for children's personal, social and emotional development.

Children learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. They are beginning to make good friendships and play well together. There is lots of laughter and happy faces.

Staff have good knowledge of what children know, can do and need to learn next. The curriculum has been carefully considered and developed to give children the skills, knowledge and understanding that they need for their future learning. However, at times, the teaching of mathematics does not support children to develop and apply their understanding of numbers, the relationships between them and the patterns within numbers.

Children show signs of boredom and lack engagement during some adult-led activities. For example, children show little interest in counting and calculating the number of spots on a picture of a dice.Staff support children's communication and language development well.

Many children speak English as an additional language. Staff respond well to children's pointing and gestures to provide additional help. Staff read stories with enthusiasm, and children listen attentively.

Staff introduce new words to extend children's vocabulary. They give children time to think and respond to the questions they ask.Children enjoy using the outdoor play space.

However, at times, the action of users of the community area has an impact on children's learning. For example, children are kept waiting in the small, fenced area following the arrival of an unexpected visit by refuse collectors. Staff do not consider how to use make best use of the time.

As a result, children do not experience physical outdoor play as planned and show signs of frustration and sadness.There are positive partnerships with parents and carers. They speak highly of the supportive and friendly staff.

Most parents make good use of the online learning journal. They value the regular updates and ideas on how to support their children's learning at home.Staff provide enjoyable experiences to promote children's physical skills.

For example, children particularly enjoy using the indoor climbing frame and develop their ideas further by using cushions on the slide. Staff show children how to keep a balloon up in the air and praise them for their success.Staff encourage children to be independent in their self-help skills.

For example, children find their own lunch bag, make good progress in toilet training, and know when to wash their hands. This helps children to prepare for their move to school.The trustees provide good support to the manager and staff team.

There are regular meetings to discuss staff's personal development as well as children's progress. Staff morale is high, creating a positive atmosphere and strong team ethos.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Since the last inspection, the manager and staff have received support and training from the local authority. All staff and trustees have completed safeguarding training. As a result, there are improvements to policies and practice.

Staff have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms that could indicate a child is more vulnerable or at risk of abuse. They understand the procedures to follow should they have any child protection concerns. Staff, together with posters on display, remind parents and carers not to use their mobile phones in the pre-school.

Staff complete risk assessments and identify the hazards in the shared outdoor play area. They are vigilant to reduce the risks.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide more frequent and varied opportunities for children to develop and apply their understanding of numbers, the relationships between them and the patterns within numbers support staff to identify when to adjust teaching to build on and extend children's learning, in particular when facing an unexpected situation.