Stonebroom Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and excited to enter this welcoming and friendly pre-school. They develop trusting relationships with their key person and staff. Staff understand and are responsive to children's individual needs.

This means when children are upset or become frustrated, staff swiftly offer reassurance and implement positive strategies to help children feel calm and settled. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points. Children are confident and sociable.

They develop strong friendships as they happily play together. They have ...fun using their imaginations in the role-play area. They talk about the jobs they are going to do around the house and staff support them to write lists and a menu.

They enjoy setting the table and preparing dinner. They use their fine motor skills to mix imaginary ingredients and serve up 'pasta' to their guests. Children thoroughly enjoy daily opportunities to go outside and practise and develop their physical skills and coordination.

They demonstrate good spatial awareness as they navigate around obstacles when using wheeled toys. Children confidently use the apparatus to climb, balance and jump. They use good communication skills to negotiate and take turns with each other.

This helps everyone to enjoy their outdoor play experiences.

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

The committee and staff have worked extremely hard to address the actions raised at the last inspection. Appropriate action has been taken to ensure the safety of children within the setting.

Hazardous materials are kept out of reach of children and systems to regulate the temperature of hot water in the bathroom have been improved. Committee members and staff have improved their awareness of safeguarding procedures. This has helped to ensure children are safe and protected.

The manager and staff have established a well-sequenced and relevant curriculum for all children. Staff forge strong relationships with parents and other professionals who are involved in supporting children with SEND. This ensures that all children made good progress and their individual needs are met.

Children are keen to enter the pre-school in the morning. They understand the routines, confidently placing their belongings on their pegs and finding their name cards. Staff gather children together to greet one another and discuss the activities on offer.

However, sometimes children find it difficult to focus their attention and listen during circle time. Initially, some children do not engage positively in their self-chosen activities when they leave the group, and it takes them additional time to settle and make appropriate choices about their learning.Relationships with parents are strong.

Staff regularly inform parents about the progress children make and the care they receive. Feedback from parents is highly complimentary. They feel that staff go 'above and beyond' to give every child the best start in life.

Children develop positive relationships with each other and staff. Mealtimes support children to develop their social and independence skills. They pour drinks and tidy away their plates and cups.

Children learn to sit at the table and listen carefully to instructions. However, at other times when playing inside, noise levels are too high. This has a detrimental impact on the behaviour of some children, who struggle to listen and concentrate.

Staff give high priority to supporting children's language skills. They immerse themselves in children's play and provide a stimulating narrative during activities to support and extend children's vocabularies. Staff skilfully guide children during a storytelling activity.

They ask questions to help them recall the main events. They repeat new words, such as 'chrysalis', and clearly explain what this means. Children demonstrate that they are confident communicators.

The management team and staff work collaboratively to promote the best outcomes for children. Staff benefit from professional development opportunities and regular supervisions. Staff morale is high and staff comment that they enjoy their work.

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 further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop the organisation of circle time to enable children to listen and regulate their emotions before commencing their chosen activities support staff to consistently monitor children's behaviour and noise levels within the room, to ensure all children are able to enjoy their experiences and gain the most from the learning on offer.