St. Peters Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The ambitious supervisor and staff have high expectations for all children. They provide a warm, welcoming and inclusive environment where all children flourish.

Good relationships between the staff and children are evident. On arrival, children rush into the pre-school and confidently make choices from a good range of resources and play materials. They become immersed in their play and are confident, inquisitive and enthusiastic to learn.

Staff provide enjoyable activities that motivate children to join in. They incorporate children's interests effectively into well-planned activities. For example, children have fun a...s they pretend to build a boat in the construction area.

They explore a selection of play tools and wooden pallets. Staff use effective teaching methods to extend their learning further, for example demonstrating how to use sandpaper to make wooden surfaces smooth. Children are motivated to learn, remain engaged and focus on activities for long periods.

They make good progress from their starting points and successfully develop the skills they will need for their future learning.Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They listen with interest to what children have to say and give them adequate time to think and respond to questions.

Children develop good speaking and listening skills. They listen to others and are confident to speak in a group.

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

Staff provide a curriculum that is diverse and exciting, to extend children's knowledge and skills across all areas of learning.

They complete regular observations and assessments of children and use this information to plan their next steps. These accurate assessments allow them to identify when children may need additional support, so that they can implement plans to help children to progress further.Children behave well.

Staff act as positive role models and provide effective guidance and strategies to promote children's positive behaviour and well-being. For example, they provide children with sand timers to help them develop an understanding of the need to take turns and share.Staff support and encourage children to be confident communicators.

They talk to them about what they are doing and ask questions that prompt conversation. The supervisor thoughtfully uses additional funding to enhance children's learning and development. For instance, by inviting in external teachers to teach children sign language, to help all children to communicate effectively.

Partnerships with parents are good. Staff regularly share information about children's development and activities, so that parents feel involved in children's learning and can continue this at home.The supervisor supports the small, qualified staff team in their roles through staff meetings and one-to-one supervision meetings.

These enable her to identify gaps in their knowledge and skills and provide appropriate training and support. For example, staff have attended training on managing children's behaviour, to help them to consistently implement rules and boundaries.Effective behaviour management strategies help children to manage their feelings and understand how their behaviour impacts on others.

Children have opportunities to take risks and develop their independence. For instance, they use real building bricks during role play and know that they need to handle these with care, so that they do not fall and harm them.Overall, staff make good use of spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning.

For example, when children talk about submarines, they explained to them that these are boats that go underwater. However, some staff are not as skilled at extending children's learning and do not consistently make full use of their questioning, to encourage critical thinking.Children benefit from healthy snacks, follow robust hygiene practices and have plenty of opportunities to be physically active, for example through regular outdoor play and physical activities indoors, including yoga.

However, staff do not consistently encourage them to talk about the importance of making healthy food choices and the impact that exercise has on their bodies, as part of developing a greater awareness of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Overall, leaders are aware of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe.

However, there have been some delays in notifying Ofsted of changes in committee members, although this has not impacted on children's well-being. The supervisor and staff demonstrate a good understanding of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse. Furthermore, they know how to make a referral if they are worried about a child.

The supervisor follows good recruitment procedures to help ensure the suitability of staff. Staff undertake daily checks of the premises and equipment to help keep children safe and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: continue to strengthen practitioners' knowledge of skilful questioning to extend children's critical thinking skills to the highest level nexplore further ways to encourage children to have a better understanding of the impact that exercise on their bodies and the importance of making healthy food choices, as part of following a healthy lifestyle.