Starlight’s Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children thrive at the pre-school and all aspects of their development are carefully nurtured by staff.

The learning environment is thoughtfully planned to stimulate children's curiosity and imagination and challenge their learning. Children develop their own activities from many natural objects, such as twigs, pine cones, leaves and sand, that are central to their play. Children show good levels of confidence and independence as they lead their own play.

Staff have high expectations for what all children, including the youngest, can do for themselves. They form strong relationships with the children and speak to them ...in a warm, friendly and gentle manner. Children feel safe and secure during their time at the pre-school.

Parents comment that their children are eager to attend. Children enjoy simple daily routines and confidently talk to other children and staff. They behave well and staff provide sensitive support for younger children who are learning to manage their behaviour.

The managers are ambitious and have a clear vision for the setting. Their passion for providing high-quality education is shared by staff. They closely analyse and support staff's performance to ensure teaching and the quality of provision are of a high standard overall.

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

Children are well behaved. Staff are kind and gentle role models to children. They warmly praise children and value their ideas and achievements.

Staff help children to explore their emotions and learn to be tolerant of others. They skilfully reinforce children's good behaviour through purposeful praise. Staff distract children who may otherwise demonstrate unwanted behaviour.

Children learn to express their emotions and understand about the needs of others. They contribute thoughts to the 'kindness tree' in the entrance, which sets the caring tone for the setting.Staff strongly support children's speech and language development.

Children are introduced to many songs and rhymes from the day they start. They quickly become familiar with these and eagerly join in. Children access a wide variety of books and stories which they enjoy sharing with one another.

Staff read stories in an intimate, animated and engaging fashion. Staff's interaction with children is positive and effective overall in promoting communication skills. Very occasionally, staff do not develop children's understanding and deepen their reasoning skills.

Parents hold the nursery in high regard. The appreciate the open, friendly nature of the managers and their staff. Parents regularly receive useful information on their children's progress and good guidance to support learning at home.

Children's independence and decision-making are strongly encouraged. They have free and full access to a wide range of interesting sensory and visual experiences. For example, children play with natural objects and dough that they have made.

They imaginatively construct towers and buildings with blocks of wood, driftwood and other loose materials. All these experiences contribute to many areas of development, such as an awareness of shape and measure and creative skills. Although there are fewer resources for exploring mark-making skills that are consistently available.

Staff promote children's physical activity and healthy lifestyles well. They encourage children to try many different food types and to eat independently. Children learn how to thoroughly wash their hands and keep their environment tidy.

They love dancing around the outdoor area to the inspiring action songs that staff sing with them.The managers and staff provide very experienced support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They make very good use of additional funding through, for example, links with other professionals such as speech and language therapists.

Staff focus successfully on addressing gaps in children's learning. As a result, all children are well prepared for the next stage in their education. The setting receives very positive feedback from the schools they serve.

The managers work hard to sustain constant improvement to the setting. They have settled smoothly into their new premises. Staff engage staff, parents and children in evaluating the quality of provision.

The managers have a robust plan of action for further developments.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe.

They know how to recognise the signs that a child might be at risk of harm. There are clear procedures in place to record any concerns staff have about children's welfare. Staff know how to respond if an allegation is made against a member of staff.

The managers understand how to recruit staff safely and make sure they are suitable to work with children. The staff rigorously ensure that children play in a safe and secure environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen staff's interaction with children to probe their understanding more effectively and extend their reasoning skills nenrich the accessibility and range of mark-making opportunities throughout the session.