Windmill Pre-School at Vaynor

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children make good progress in this happy, welcoming setting. The dedicated staff team know the children and their families well. As a result, children demonstrate a real sense of belonging.

Children explore the exciting resources on offer. They make decisions about what they want to play with and bring their own ideas to the play. Staff encourage children to express themselves.

At circle time, children talk about their feelings. They delight in sharing news about what they will be doing at the weekend. Children's physical development and health is well supported.

They dance to music with the staff, exercising... their whole bodies. Afterwards, they feel their chests and describe how their hearts are beating faster. Children talk to each other over lunch.

They name their favourite vegetables and chat about the healthy foods in their lunch boxes. Children are well behaved. They are polite and use good manners in their interactions with the staff and each other.

They form strong friendships and play happily together. Children learn to take turns and share. Children make good relationships with staff and know that they can go to them when they need support.

They are becoming confident, independent learners who are well prepared for their next stage of learning and for starting school.

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

Children benefit from spending plenty of time outdoors. They put on their wellington boots and explore the local area and enjoy walks to the park.

Children play outside every day and enjoy using a good range of equipment, including bicycles and scooters.Children's emotional needs are met well. Staff work together to create a friendly, nurturing environment.

They are prompt in noticing and responding to the needs of the children. Staff offer cuddles and comforting words whenever a child becomes upset. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well supported.

This enables them to quickly settle and to be fully included in the daily routines. All children display high levels of well-being.Staff know the children well.

They make regular assessments to determine what children know and what they need to learn next. All children are making good progress. However, children's next steps in learning are not always fully considered when staff are delivering planned activities.

Children are highly engaged because teaching is delivered in a fun, exciting, often humorous way. They respond extremely positively to this. For example, they giggle and shout when a member of staff counts them at registration time and recites the numbers out of order.

They are eager to correct him and show him that they can count numbers correctly.Parents speak very highly of the staff and the setting. They say that their children are keen to learn and have made good progress since starting.

Parents enjoy attending parents' mornings, where they can learn and play with their children. They value the regular parents' evenings where they can talk about their child's achievements. Parents say they feel happy to leave their children here because they are so well cared for and have so much fun.

The management team is strong. The manager and deputy complement each other in their knowledge and expertise. The well-established manager looks after the well-being of the staff team and ensures the setting is continually improving.

The recently appointed deputy manager leads the educational programme with flair and creativity. Together, they support and coach the staff team, encouraging staff to develop in their knowledge and practice so that they can provide the best for the children they care for.Staff have created a fabulous learning environment.

Interesting household objects and items found in nature are available for the children to investigate. For example, children can choose to drink from china cups and saucers at snack time. They grow their own runner beans, inspired by a popular storybook, and then plant them in the garden.

The staff team encourages curiosity and imaginative play and consequently children are highly motivated learners.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers and staff have a thorough knowledge of child protection issues.

Managers support staff to ensure that they stay up to date in their knowledge of broader safeguarding issues, for example where children may be at risk of extremism. Staff are vigilant and know the signs and symptoms which could indicate that a child is at risk. They know what to do if they have a concern.

Managers continuously check that staff remain suitable to care for children and safe recruitment processes are in place. The setting is a safe and secure place for children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review planning to ensure individual next steps are used more effectively to inform activities.

Also at this postcode