Sticky Fingers Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

The enthusiastic and experienced staff have very high expectations for all children attending. They offer children a wealth of exciting opportunities. Staff have an excellent understanding of children's individual needs and interests.

Planning to promote children's learning and prepare them for their future success is of the utmost importance. Staff teaching and interactions are outstanding. Children demonstrate exceptionally high levels of engagement.

They are excited to learn and are extremely attentive. They show they feel safe and secure in the care of staff who look after them. Children use remarkably good ...manners and are polite and courteous at all times.

Their behaviour is impeccable.Staff are extremely reflective of their practice. They are proactive in embedding new initiatives to build further on what children already know and can do.

A high focus is placed on helping children acquire very good levels of literacy, listening and communication skills. For example, children develop a great love of books and take a very active part in story time. They recall with extreme confidence the popular phrases from the favourite book 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt', such as 'we're not scared'.

Children demonstrate with enthusiasm the hand movements when they say 'over it' and 'under it', and laugh excitedly at the end of the story. Staff expertly weave cultural literacy into children's day when reading 'Handa's Surprise'. For example, staff provide examples of fruits from Handa's basket for children to try, compare and talk about.

Children are inquisitive as they measure and compare the weights of the fruits.

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

Senior managers have a clear and ambitious vision for ongoing improvement. Exceptionally good systems are in place to monitor the quality of the provision and children's progress.

The inspirational manager is passionate about her role. She demonstrates high levels of dedication to supporting her staff and enabling them to embed a learning environment that makes a positive contribution to children's achievements.Staff implement the early years foundation stage curriculum securely.

They have an exceptionally good awareness of their intentions for activities, and how to enhance the skills children are acquiring. All children, including those in receipt of additional funding and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make rapid progress in relation to their starting points.Highly effective interventions thoroughly support how children develop listening and attention skills.

These are implemented extremely well by highly skilled staff when using music and movement activities, and resources that promote language and listening skills. The impact of this is that children, particularly those who need additional support for speech and language and those who speak English as an additional language, have much improved outcomes.Children gain vast experience of people and communities to broaden their understanding of the wider world.

For example, they are intrigued as they learn about China. They work out the most efficient way to hold and use chopsticks. Children try on traditional clothing and show high levels of interest as they talk together about how 'soft' the fabric is.

Staff and children discuss the Chinese calendar and look at photographs of places of interest in China. They are eager to practise Chinese writing in the mark-making area. Children confidently share their experiences of eating Chinese food, eat 'fortune cookies' and are curious about the writing on the labels.

Staff are highly successful in their strategies to work with parents. For example, a senior staff member works with families to help parents embed learning at home. She offers guidance on how to use the online assessment tool that shares children's achievements.

Parents speak very warmly of staff. They explain that staff are extremely friendly and that their children love attending.Exceptionally caring staff thoroughly promote children's healthy lifestyles.

For instance, staff have successfully embarked on a healthy eating award and promote children's play outdoors, regardless of weather. Children thoroughly enjoy being physically active outdoors and make excellent use of the highly stimulating environment, such as the reading garden. Staff offer clear messages about oral health.

For example, they use a dental anatomy model to demonstrate how to hold the toothbrush to brush teeth and gums. Children listen attentively, mastering techniques such as 'right to the back' and 'teeth together'.Children understand the importance of rules and expectations.

For example, when the register is called, they tell each other 'this is important'. Children are incredibly motivated to learn and have very high levels of self-control. They show resilience when trying new things or when taking part in activities that they struggle with initially.

Staff help children to make decisions as a group. This is evident when children take a vote for their favourite songs. This helps to embed British values, such as tolerance and respect for each other's opinions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of all aspects of safeguarding matters. This includes being competent to respond to questions and scenarios at the inspection to assess their knowledge of typical signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to follow.

Staff know what to do if they had a concern about a senior staff member. They are extremely confident about how to access external advice. Staff use and implement the provider's risk assessments, policies and procedures to promote children's health, safety and well-being effectively.

Highly effective practice is in place to monitor children's safety when playing outdoors. The setting is accredited with Millie's Mark. This accreditation assures parents that practitioners are highly proficient in training for paediatric first aid.

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