St. Charles’ Catholic Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enter the pre-school with enthusiasm.

They show that they enjoy their time at the pre-school as they explore a broad range of activities and resources. They excitedly delve into boxes and drawers to freely investigate what is inside. Children have a positive attitude to their learning and demonstrate that they are happy, safe and secure.

This enables them to learn as they play.Staff have high expectations for all children. They provide a wide range of activities that ignite children's learning.

For instance, children thoroughly enjoy exploring an ice activity. They chip away at blocks of ice using lit...tle hammers to reveal plastic bugs. They squeal with laughter as the ice slides out of their hands and lands on the floor.

They chat among themselves and make comments such as 'It's cold', 'My fingers are frozen' and 'The ice is slippery'. This shows children are using their communication skills effectively with their friends. Children are friendly.

They smile and talk to visitors and enjoy sharing their experiences. Younger children go for cuddles with caring and affectionate staff when they need reassurance. Children behave well.

They play with their friends, taking turns, sharing toys and developing social skills. Staff provide plenty of encouragement to build children's confidence and support them effectively.

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

The curriculum is highly focused on developing children's curiosity and exploratory skills, and on following their interests.

For example, children thoroughly enjoy hunting for potatoes in compost and making dens. Staff know the children well and complete assessments of children's achievements. They identify children's next steps in learning.

However, occasionally, during some activities, staff do not extend the level of challenge for the older and most able children to build further on what they know and can do. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. They work together closely with other professionals to support children's individual needs.

There are good opportunities for staff to enhance their professional development. For instance, there is a comprehensive training plan for all staff. The manager monitors staff performance, including through regular meetings, observations and feedback to staff.

However, these arrangements do not focus sharply on improving staff understanding of how they can support children's learning more effectively. This means the quality of education varies across the pre-school. Nevertheless, the manager has taken positive steps to drive improvements to benefit all children.

Since the last inspection, for example, she and her staff have changed the layout of the garden. This area now provides opportunities for children to explore and investigate effectively during their play.Staff have established good partnerships with parents.

They arrange regular meetings to support parents in contributing to their children's early education and well-being. Staff find out about children's current experiences when they first start at the pre-school. Staff add to these experiences to aid children's future learning.

For instance, children benefit from real-life experiences, such as going to the library to extend their enjoyment of books. In addition, they go on coach rides, for example to visit the local farm.Children are highly motivated and demonstrate they are having fun.

For example, older children relish the opportunity to play in the mud kitchen outside. They confidently collect objects such as stones, twigs and potatoes. They stir the objects and use their imagination to make 'sausages', 'potatoes' and 'peas' for dinner.

Younger children thoroughly enjoy splashing in the water and singing songs about five little ducks. Staff support them to fill and empty containers, helping them to develop their small-muscle skills and hand-eye coordination effectively.Children are kind and considerate.

Older children help younger ones. For example, they show them how to pedal tricycles and are often seen holding their hands. Children play cooperatively, concentrate and listen to staff.

This is evident at the end of the session. Children follow instructions to tidy their toys away willingly and sit attentively to listen to a story about animals at the zoo.Children develop independence and manage their personal skills.

They put on their coats and shoes and know the routine to wash their hands before lunch. Children enjoy eating their lunch alongside their friends and talking to staff about healthy foods. They have many opportunities to develop their physical skills.

Children thoroughly enjoy balancing along and jumping off planks and running up and down a hill. They are learning to be coordinated and to take risks in a safe environment.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of what to do and who to contact if they have any concerns about a child in their care. Staff complete regular safeguarding training which helps them to understand the wider issues of safeguarding children. The manager prioritises and maintains a keen focus on children's safety.

She ensures that safety checks are made of the premises, such as making sure the outer gate is securely locked. The manager and committee have thorough recruitment and induction procedures in place to check that staff are suitable to care for children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nexplore ways to adapt activities further so that children have opportunities to enjoy increased levels of challenge to extend their thinking and learning, particularly the most able and older children strengthen systems for monitoring staff performance to help to raise the quality of education to an outstanding level.

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