Stoke Holy Cross Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children enter happily into this inclusive nursery.

Children who sometimes find it more difficult to settle in swiftly feel at ease, when the genuinely caring staff offer reassurance and join in their favourite activity with them. This reduces children's anxieties and promotes their full engagement in fun, play and learning experiences. The management team does not ensure Ofsted is notified in a timely way of changes to members of the management committee.

However, the risk to children is minimal as these committee members have no access to children's details or to children themselves.Staff follow children's lead to furth...er their learning. When they notice children's love for Christmas, they introduce a role-play present wrapping station.

Children improve their small motor skills, when folding and cutting the paper using scissors. As they practise these intricate skills, they refine movements to support more complex tasks, such as writing in preparation for school. Children demonstrate that they are beginning to accept the needs of others when introducing sand timers to take turns on the push bikes.

Staff model fair and appropriate ways to use it, alongside providing meaningful praise for their positive actions. As a result, children are developing their abilities to develop friendships and problem solve independently.

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

There have been recent changes to the committee.

Some members details including their Disclosure and Barring Service checks to enable the suitability assessment process to be completed, have not been provided to Ofsted. The management team intends to immediately ensure they fulfil their duty to meet this statutory requirement.Staff provide resources and activities that are of high quality, stimulating and meet the interests of the children.

Therefore, children enjoy making choices about how to spend their day. They continually show high levels of enthusiasm and engagement in their play. Outdoor environments offer opportunities for children to develop all areas of learning.

Children grow flowers and learn about life cycles. They learn to care for living things, for example, by watering plants regularly to help them grow.Children often read books and delight in singing and performing the actions to their favourite songs and rhymes.

During group times, staff gently prompt children to talk about the object they have brought in from home. These regular learning experiences gradually build children's confidence and self-esteem while strengthening good communication skills.Sometimes, during children's spontaneous play, staff do not consider their interactions enough, to ensure they are consistently challenging all children to build on their existing vocabulary and extend their speech and language development further.

The patient staff calmly listen to children when they are upset. They use visual supports to help them understand their feelings and behaviours expected of them. These effective strategies mean children frequently show positive behaviours towards others.

For example, when children have a disagreement over a popular toy, they remain calm and ask a member of staff to help them find a solution. Staff generally work collaboratively with parents to consistently help consolidate and enhance children's learning.Children with complex health needs have clear and robust care plans in place that are regularly reviewed and updated by the management team.

Parents applaud close links with the local school, which help seamless transitions. Parents say they mostly feel informed about their children's progress. However, the management team and staff do not always ensure progress reviews, particularly with parents of those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are thorough enough.

Because of this, it reduces parents clear understanding of referral processes and how to continually and effectively support their child's progress at home.Mealtimes are sociable and promote healthy eating and hygiene habits. Staff provide plenty of opportunities for children to practise the skills to become increasingly competent in their personal care.

For example, staff encourage them to wash their hands before eating and serve their own food and drinks. Staff are excellent role models who promote respectful behaviours, such as gently reminding children to say please and thank you when they are offered healthy foods at snack time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that Ofsted is provided with the necessary information in a timely way to enable them to carry out suitability checks for all members of the committee.27/12/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nimprove staff interactions during children's play to ensure they are consistently supported to make swift and continuous progress in their speech and communication development nimprove how children's ongoing progress is shared with parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to extend collaborative working and enhance children's further progress.

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