St Malo Under Fives Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager and staff are keen to ensure every child can 'be the best they can'.

They have identified the need to enhance children's speaking skills and plan activities to support this. Younger children use puppets and talk about the characters in traditional stories. Older children go on a 'bear hunt', using good narrative in their play.

All children use good language skills to connect their ideas to a storyline. Children's behaviour is good. They independently resolve minor conflicts between themselves, using problem-solving skills to work together.

Children play cooperatively. They construct towers using fo...am bricks and use a tape measure to find out how tall they are. Children enjoy riding bicycles and scooters outside.

They successfully negotiate space as they ride, helping to keep themselves and others safe. Opportunities for children to develop their imagination is strong. Younger children enjoy playing 'hairdressers', using various resources to engage in make-believe play.

Older children pretend that a wheel on the bicycle has fallen off and write a 'report', stating how much it will cost to repair. Children are happy in the provision and make good progress in their development in preparation for their eventual move to school.

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

The manager and staff use funding effectively.

They have purchased a wide range of books and supporting materials to stimulate reading activities for children. This encourages children to develop a love of stories to support their early reading skills.Children have good opportunities to develop their hand-to-eye coordination.

Older children confidently use a hole-punch and write labels. They decide how much ribbon they will need and independently cut this with scissors before attaching it to their Mothers' Day gift. Younger children use large pieces of chalk outside, creating patterns on the floor.

The manager and staff provide a wide range of activities that keep children engaged and motivated. However, they sometimes miss opportunities to build on what children already know and are able to do to help move them forward on to their next stage of learning.Care practices are effective.

Younger children receive support from staff with handwashing routines. Older children manage this independently, helping to prevent any cross infection.Overall, partnerships with parents are good.

Staff provide 'home link cards' where parents can inform staff of new words children have learned at home. This helps to support children's communication skills. Parents contribute to the provision's online assessment system.

Staff use this to track children's progress. However, opportunities for children to build on their individual learning at home are not consistent to nurture their overall development.The manager supervises staff to maintain the good-quality teaching.

Staff attend frequent training to benefit children. They plan to make a 'word wall' to help children recognise and eventually read words to enhance their literacy development.The self-evaluation process is effective.

The new organisation of the indoor environment provides children with a quiet area. They engage in table activities, such as drawing, board games and puzzles, to encourage them to sustain good levels of concentration.Staff have made strong links with the local school.

Reception teachers visit the provision often to establish links with the children. Children are able to use the school grounds. This helps them to feel emotionally secure when they start school.

Children enjoy opportunities to sing. They take it in turns to choose picture cards that represent nursery rhymes. Children confidently sing songs both on their own and within a large group.

They have good levels of self-esteem.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The provision is secure.

An entry alarm system is in place to alert staff when the door opens. This help to monitor the amount of children who freely choose to access the outside area. Staff deploy themselves effectively to ensure children's safety.

They teach children how to manage risks. Children build with large wooden bricks, and staff encourage them to think about how to make them safe enough so they can climb on them. The manager and staff attend child protection training.

They keep their knowledge refreshed to enable them to be alert to any safeguarding concerns they may have. They all understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children from harm and know the necessary authorities to contact.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: maximise learning opportunities for children to build on what they already know and can do to help them make rapid progress strengthen partnerships with parents so children benefit from home learning opportunities to support their overall development.

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