St Margaret’s Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happily and separate from their parents confidently. They understand nursery routines and enjoy using their photos to register.

Children greet each other and staff enthusiastically and have formed strong friendships with their peers. Staff teach children to play collaboratively and treat each other with kindness and respect. For example, they listen to each other's opinions and take turns when playing.

Staff set clear expectations for children's behaviour, while at the same time encouraging them to be lively and engaged. They celebrate children's achievements and talk about successes.Children learn to b...e independent.

They help themselves to fruit and drinks and sort the waste from their lunch into recycling and compost bins. They develop a sense of responsibility by moving their self-registration picture to show when they have left the room to go to the toilet. Staff encourage children to make choices by giving them opportunities to select from a wide range of activities.

The children have access to outdoor play and go on regular outings to learn more about their community and environment. They express preferences and ideas about where they would like to go, and staff work hard to make these choices happen by taking all the children on a bus trip, for example. Children talk about these shared experiences in the setting and use them as the basis for role-playing games.

Staff teach children the skills and vocabulary to play imaginatively.

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

Managers have a strong focus on a curriculum that develops children's social and emotional skills. They support children to become resilient, happy and independent.

Children use pictures and prompts to share how they are feeling that day, and staff teach them to listen to and respect each other's feelings. Parents feel that their children's emotional well-being is effectively supported by the setting.Staff recognise the importance of social skills and communication and provide engaging opportunities for children to interact, for example when role playing a 'pizza restaurant' and a shop.

Children learn to ask questions, give information and state their preferences during imaginative play. They self-direct their play confidently, and staff follow their lead and extend activities well to engage children in learning. However, staff are not always clear about what they are aiming to teach in addition to following the children's interests during activities.

Children learn mathematics in various ways. For example, they count the number of votes for a choice of story and talk about which has received more. Staff encourage the recognition of numbers by numbering ride-on cars and having numbered parking spaces.

Children match these to park in the related space. They use money to pay and give change in the role-play shop. Staff know the mathematical development level of their key children and extend those who are ready to learn and do more.

For example, they teach how a new number is formed when two single digits are joined together.Children develop physical skills, such as jumping, hopping and balancing, by dancing to music and joining in with the actions to familiar rhymes and songs. Staff provide consistent opportunities for children to play outside and to slide, run and drive ride-on toys.

Children develop their grip and coordination using play dough, scissors and a variety of locks, bolts and fasteners to strengthen the hand muscles needed for early writing.Staff engage with children well. They use effective strategies to encourage communication, such as asking open-ended questions, expressing and listening to opinions and asking children to describe recent experiences.

Children learn to make comparisons, such as talking about why watermelons and cucumbers are similar.Staff understand subtle cues from children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), such as tapping their feet when they want to join in with a music activity. Staff are sensitive to when children with SEND need space and provide opportunities for quiet interactions or lone activities appropriately.

The setting supports children who speak English as an additional language by ensuring that staff know or can access basic words and resources in the child's home language.Leadership and management are strong. Staff feel supported by regular supervision and benefit from ongoing training.

They adapt learning from courses to the specific needs of children. For example, they used recent training to develop new school readiness skills, such as following simple instructions.Staff communicate effectively with parents.

Parents report the setting goes 'above and beyond' to meet the needs of families and are full of praise for the support their children receive. Parents feel informed about their child's progress and know what they are learning and what they need to do next. Staff share ideas and resources with parents to support learning and development through regular emails and termly meetings, for example.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The setting has a strong culture of safeguarding, with all staff aware of processes for keeping children safe. Leaders follow safer recruitment policy to make sure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

Safeguarding training is regularly updated. Staff recognise the importance of timely intervention if they believe a child is at risk. Staff know their children and their families well.

This means that they are quick to notice when there is a concern about a child and can discuss that with parents. Staff provide an environment where children can take manageable risks that are appropriate to their level of development.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: focus the curriculum more sharply on what the children need to learn next during an activity.