The Learning Tree Children’s Nursery and Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

One of the key strengths of the nursery and pre-school is the strong partnership working with parents. Parents say they feel very involved in children's learning. They are keen to donate resources, such as bird boxes for children to hang outside.

Parents say that staff help children to develop an appreciation of nature and the outdoors. They praise the manager and staff for helping children to be ready for school. Parents say staff help children to learn to spell their own name and put on their shoes and coats.

Staff provide parents with ideas for activities to continue children's learning at home. For example, childre...n take home spinning activities for them to twist. This helps to promote their coordination and early writing skills.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They are very good role models and provide gentle reminders to encourage children to be kind to their friends. Staff listen to children with genuine interest and value their contributions and ideas.

Children are eager to celebrate their achievements and show staff their pictures and creations. They demonstrate that they feel safe, self-assured and happy. The manager is passionate about helping children to make good progress and enjoy learning within a caring and nurturing environment.

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

Staff work closely with parents and share information about what children know and can already do. They use this information to plan for what each child needs to learn next. Children are enthusiastic learners and are eager to participate in activities and invite others to join in with their play.

The manager engages well with staff and supports their well-being effectively. She provides regular training to help staff to develop their knowledge and skills. For example, staff say training attended helps them to plan an environment to promote children's enjoyment of exploration and discovery.

However, the manager does not use highly focused methods to promptly identify and respond to any weaknesses in staff practice. Staff do not maximise opportunities to challenge children's learning to the highest possible level.Staff introduce mathematics throughout the day and help children to learn simple addition.

For example, older children work out how many more pieces of fruit they need to make four. Staff encourage younger children to name the colours and count the number of leaves they have on their picture.The manager regularly seeks the views of children, parents and staff.

This helps her to evaluate the quality of the provision and identify improvements. Parents say that the manager invests in resources that she knows children are interested in, including toy drills and sanders. These promote children's exploration, imagination and physical skills as children pretend to fix different items.

Staff promote children's communication skills well, in a variety of ways. They sing songs and read familiar stories with enthusiasm, and this helps to capture children's interest, engagement and enjoyment. Children listen attentively and eagerly recall their own experiences.

Staff repeat children's comments and model how to pronounce their words correctly.The manager is dedicated to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment. Staff provide children with age-appropriate experiences that promote all areas of learning and development.

They offer opportunities that children may not have access to at home. For example, children learn about other cultures and communities that are different from their own through a range of resources. They join in counting and singing songs in other languages.

Parents praise the staff for helping children to settle in quickly and for being very responsive and sensitive to their individual needs. For example, staff have helped children to become confident to use the noisy hand dryer. They help children to develop independence and self-assurance.

Staff establish strong partnership working with the school and other professionals. This helps to promote consistency in children's care, learning and development. Pre-school children share the coat peg area with school children and spend some lunchtime sessions together in the school dining room.

This helps children to become familiar with routines, ready for their move on to school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff give high priority to safeguarding children and help them to learn how to keep themselves safe.

For example, children learn to hold hands with each other as they walk across the school playground to their outdoor play area. Staff teach children to negotiate space, wait their turn and move in the same direction as they use ride-along toys. Children are supported to handle toys and equipment with care, for example as they use a knife to cut up their fruit.

Staff have a robust understanding of their role in keeping children safe. They know how to identify and promptly respond to a concern about the safety or welfare of a child.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the programme of staff performance management, teaching and supervision arrangements to promptly identify any staff weaknesses and help to raise the quality of teaching and learning to the highest level.

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