The Lenches Pre-School Group

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children receive a warm welcome from the caring and considerate staff when they arrive at the setting. Most children are well settled within the environment.

They are comfortable and confident with established staff and are building relationships with new staff. Staff are good role models, and there are some clear boundaries in place. Children are learning to share and take turns with favourite resources and behave well.

There is a clear focus on providing an inclusive service, where each child is valued. Children benefit from varied experiences that raise their awareness of cultures and festivals that are different fr...om their own. They enjoy being part of the community as they take part in local events.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff liaise with other professionals, and funding is used to provide opportunities that focus on individual needs and aim to help children to keep up with their peers. Children's starting points and progress are accurately assessed.

Staff get to know the children well and have clear expectations for all children's learning and development. Children are eager to attend. They enjoy accessing a good variety of activities and experiences, which capture their interests and keep them engaged.

Staff interact well with children to help enhance children's learning and development.

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

Leaders and staff have made significant improvements since the last inspection that are having a positive effect on the provision for children. They have an appropriate management team in place to ensure the smooth running of the setting, and key roles and responsibilities are carried out effectively.

There have been some changes to the staff team, with new staff joining and existing staff taking on new roles and responsibilities. Staff feel valued and demonstrate dedication and teamwork when carrying out their duties. Leaders monitor and evaluate their provision and strive for the best for the children and their families.

Effective induction procedures and the ongoing programme of supervisions helps to foster a culture of mutual support. Nevertheless, there have not been enough opportunities for the staff team to embed practice and raise the quality of the provision to the highest levels.Partnerships with parents are strong.

Parents are kept well-informed about any changes. They report that staff are friendly and provide positive feedback about their children. Parents are pleased with the progress children are making and are working with staff to implement strategies to support behaviour and encourage learning at home.

Staff are focused on developing good relationships with local schools to promote efficient transitions when the time comes for children to move on. Several children currently attend other settings. Staff are yet to build on communication to help offer a consistent approach or identify ways that they can work more closely to support children across the different provisions.

Staff observe children and gather key information from parents to find out about what children already know and can do. They use this to plan activities that have a clear purpose and focus on individual children's learning and development.Leaders and staff are developing a curriculum that works for the setting and the children.

They adapt routines to match with those at home, to meet all children's needs and follow their interests. For example, they have introduced a quiet session part way through the day, and children can have rest or sleep if they need to.Children make good progress in their learning and development.

Staff interact well with the children and provide a range of activities and experiences, indoors and outdoors. Children are confident, chatty and adopt a positive attitude to learning.Children benefit from lots of opportunities in this language-rich environment.

They choose books, listen to stories and sing songs regularly during the day. Children share and extend their own ideas as they dress up as different characters, and staff encourage plenty of role-play experiences.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Regular checks are carried out and steps taken to keep children safe and ensure they are not exposed to any risks. The premises is secure, and the environment is clean and well resourced. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable and understand the setting's child protection and managing allegations policies.

Those with overall responsibility provide support, advice and guidance to any other staff requiring it. All staff are confident in their roles and able to act in a timely manner to protect children from harm. Recruitment and vetting processes are robust, and induction procedures are effective.

All staff undergo required checks to ensure they are suitable to work with children. There is always at least one member of staff who holds a paediatric first-aid qualification present with children when on site and on outings.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: build on opportunities for staff to enhance their professional development and gain skills, to help them deliver the highest quality provision for children strengthen the partnerships and the exchange of information with other settings that children attend to help promote continuity in children's care and learning.

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