St.Teresa’s Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle easily into the small, cosy and intimate pre-school environment. They quickly build close attachments with caring and dedicated staff. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop their confidence rapidly.

Children receive close individual attention in the snug surroundings and this helps them to feel safe and secure.Children thoroughly enjoy exploring a wealth of resources that stimulate their curiosity and imagination. They play together happily.

Children quickly learn to share and take turns. They are considerate to their peers and form good friendships. S...taff remind children frequently of the rules and boundaries of the pre-school.

This helps them to understand staff's expectations and promotes positive behaviour.Children have a wonderful time in the imaginatively designed garden. They examine bugs and creatures.

Children dig and stir leaves into mud. They explore the many enchanting constructions and recesses of the garden with excitement. Children plant herbs and vegetables.

They rub herbs with their fingers and smell them to decide which to add to the potions they mix. Children develop good muscle control and concentration as they squeeze pipettes and pick up flowers with tweezers. They excitedly pour from bottles and containers of fascinating and colourful liquid.

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

Staff plan the curriculum around the interests and needs of individual children. For example, they obtain specific resources to meet children's needs and provide further challenge. Staff obtain information from parents and assess children's progress accurately.

They quickly identify any delays in learning and provide effective support to enable all children to reach their full potential.Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff involve parents in their children's development and support them to continue the learning at home.

They work closely with other professionals to ensure that all children make the best possible progress. Parents are complimentary in their comments about the pre-school and staff value their suggestions, contributions and feedback.Children manage their personal care and hygiene independently.

Staff teach them to enjoy healthy food and they experiment with different flavours. Children examine fruits and discover how they feel, smell and taste. They chop up their fruits and pour their own drinks.

Staff involve children in their routines. For instance, at the end of the session, they ask children to hunt for objects of one colour to encourage them to tidy away.Staff encourage the older and most able children to develop their early writing skills, teaching them how to write lists, recipes and menus in role play.

Staff provide clipboards, paper, pens and chalks to interest children in writing outdoors and to challenge their learning further.Children choose books to share with staff from an interesting selection. They enjoy turning the pages and discussing the characters in the stories.

Children laugh heartily as staff point out their comical antics. Staff build on children's developing vocabulary and language skills. They introduce new words and use sign language and clear pronunciation.

Staff receive many opportunities to pursue their continuous professional development. Managers supervise staff well and care for their well-being. The manager and staff continually reflect on their practice and the effectiveness of the provision.

Staff join children at their activities and extend their learning as they play. For example, children enjoy stacking wooden shapes on spindles. Staff talk to them about the colours and shapes they are using.

They help children to sort the shapes into order according to size. However, staff do not always respond fully to individual children's questions and comments to promote further learning.Staff are good role models and children follow their example.

Staff provide creative activities and foods for them to sample from different cultures when they mark special occasions. Nevertheless, staff do not broaden children's understanding of the wider world to the fullest extent, or teach them about the differences and similarities of people and places beyond their own experience.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are confident in their knowledge of safeguarding matters and how to protect children. They are aware of the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm, including radicalisation and other forms of abuse. Staff know the procedures for recording and notifying any concerns and how to seek advice.

Procedures for the recruitment of new staff and committee members are robust. The manager checks the suitability of staff and the committee regularly to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support staff to improve their ability to listen and respond to children's questions and promote learning to the fullest extent nincrease opportunities for children to learn more about the world and the differences and similarities of people and places beyond their own experience.

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