The Oaks Creche and Pre-School MMC Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at the pre-school. Staff create a welcoming environment for children and their families.

They take the time to get to know children's unique personalities and interests. Staff use this knowledge to successfully support younger and less-confident children's transitions into the setting. Staff place a strong focus on promoting children's emotional well-being.

They talk to children about how they feel, and offer reassurance when children most need it. This helps children to grow in confidence, as they feel safe and well cared for. Staff help children learn to be kind and courteous with their frie...nds.

For instance, children work together to tidy away toys, and older children help their younger peers. Children behave well.The manager and her staff are a strong team.

They have a good understanding of what children need to know or be able to do, to inform the curriculum they provide. Children enjoy learning. For instance, as staff read to them, older and younger children listen attentively to favourite stories.

They anticipate what is going to happen next, such as the bowl belonging to baby bear. Staff recognise the importance of children's communication skills. Where children need additional help to catch up with their speaking skills, staff work closely with other professionals to support this.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points.

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

The manager is knowledgeable and experienced. She leads her staff team well.

Staff understand the community they serve. They work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure that children get a good start to their education. Where children need additional support, staff take swift action to make timely referrals to seek this.

Consequently, children, especially those in receipt of additional funding and those with SEND, gain the support they need. This proactive approach helps to bridge the gaps in children's learning, preparing them for the next stage of education, including starting school.Staff enjoy working at the setting and feel valued and respected in their roles.

Staff feel that their views are listened to and that they are able to contribute their thoughts and ideas to the ongoing improvements. However, the manager acknowledges that staff supervisions are not yet highly focused to monitor and enhance staff practice and subject knowledge over time.Staff support children's language skills well.

They plan and create a language-rich environment where children learn new words and understand their meaning. For instance, as staff introduce a favourite story, they talk about the author. Children say that 'authors write stories' as they remember and recall what they learn about authors and illustrators.

Children listen attentively as staff read with enthusiasm, bringing favourite tales to life. However, sometimes, staff do not make the most of some learning experiences to challenge and extend the most able children's learning to the fullest.Children learn routines that promote their physical health and welfare.

Staff teach them about healthy food and drink choices and the benefits of active play. Children gain good physical coordination skills as staff encourage them to become confident in their own abilities. Children learn to be resilient and to persist when some activities need more perseverance.

This helps to support children's personal, social and emotional development, as they develop good levels of self-esteem.Staff understand children's development and use this knowledge to observe, and plan for, each child. Children benefit from a wide range of learning experiences, which ignite their curiosity.

For instance, as children paint, staff teach them how to create new colours, and they mix blue and red to make purple. Staff encourage children to explore and be excited to learn, through guided support and self-discovery. For example, children fill containers with sand and create sandcastles.

They watch what happens to the structure as they squash their creations. These experiences help to motivate children's positive attitudes to their play, exploration and learning.Partnerships with parents are good.

Staff use their established relationships with parents to share children's interests, daily activities and key achievements. Parents speak highly of staff and appreciate the support they receive, including around toilet training and school readiness. Staff successfully share children's next steps in learning, to help parents continue to support their children at home.

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: nenhance the arrangements for staff supervision to ensure that all staff continue to enhance their practice and subject knowledge over time focus more closely on all of the available opportunities within activities to challenge and extend children's learning even further.