Tiddlywinks Pre-School (Leyland) Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

The manager and staff are extremely passionate about early years provision.

They value the input that parents share with them during home visits. This helps them to get to know children well and plan for their learning from the very start. Staff offer a flexible approach to meet individual needs.

For example, extra staff help to support children who are new to the setting. This helps to build their confidence, helping them to feel safe. Parents speak very highly of the manager and staff and the caring, extremely positive relationships they form with children.

Staff have high expectations of what children can a...chieve. They focus well on developing children's language skills, helping children to become good communicators. Staff talk to them during activities and comment on what they are doing.

Children enjoy listening to stories and eagerly join in with action songs. Staff engage children in meaningful conversations to encourage them to develop a range of vocabulary. However, on occasion, staff do not make the best use of interactions to challenge and extend children's thinking and learning.

Children flourish in this friendly setting. Their behaviour is very good. They show respect for each other and follow instructions well.

For example, older children put their hands up to answer questions during circle time. They share their views without interruption. Staff encourage children to be independent and involve them in daily routines.

Children develop the skills they need for their future learning.

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

The experienced manager meets with staff regularly to discuss children's progress. She uses these opportunities to discuss any concerns and future planning.

Staff feel well supported by the manager and they work well together. This helps to create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for children. Staff access regular training.

For example, staff recently attended a course to learn how to create inviting play spaces. However, the systems for monitoring the quality and impact of individuals' teaching skills are not focused sharply enough to raise the quality to a consistently outstanding level.Staff use their knowledge of children's interests very well to plan exciting spaces, inside and outdoors.

This helps to support children's ongoing engagement in learning. Staff have extremely positive relationships with children. They engage children in meaningful conversations to encourage them to develop a range of vocabulary.

For example, children describe the sounds that objects make in listening games. Staff foster children's imaginations well. For example, older children peel and chop real vegetables and cook them on the pretend stove.

Younger children explore flowers that have been frozen in ice.Staff plan good opportunities for children to practise their early writing skills, for example, in a role-play post office. They also use these opportunities to help children learn mathematical concepts, such as value and weight.

A visit to the post office helped children to learn about their local community.Staff use ongoing observations and assessments to quickly identify any gaps in children's learning. They know when to seek early support from other agencies, including speech and language therapists.

Staff provide very good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The manager uses funding very well to help children to make progress in their learning. For example, she has recently enhanced home-learning facilities with story sacks to encourage children's love of reading at home.

Children develop good physical skills. Staff encourage them to take some risks as they play and they learn to assess risks for themselves. For example, children eagerly climb a large frame outside.

They remind each other of the rules that help to keep them safe. Older children squeal with delight as they run around using ribbons in the wind, while younger children look on in awe as staff blow bubbles. Inside, staff provide imaginative experiences for children to further develop their hand muscles.

For example, younger children post objects into slots, while older children hammer golf tees into a vegetable squash.The manager failed to notify Ofsted about a significant event. Following discussion, Ofsted is satisfied that the requirement to notify had been overlooked and the impact on the setting has not been significant.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager ensures that staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date through regular training. The manager and staff understand their responsibilities in helping to keep children safe.

For example, effective staff deployment ensures that children are very well supervised.The manager and staff know how to recognise signs that children may be suffering from abuse and/or neglect. Staff have a good understanding of wider safeguarding issues and are clear about the setting's reporting processes.

The procedures for recruitment are robust and the manager checks the ongoing suitability of staff. Staff undertake daily risk assessments; they check that the setting is safe and secure for all children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen systems for the supervision of staff, providing further coaching and support to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level nenhance the quality of staff interactions with children to further develop children's ability to think critically and solve problems.

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