Woodside Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Staff provide children with a safe and secure environment and every child who attends this pre-school thrives. Children are eager to attend.

They are warmly greeted by staff, who take a real interest in how children are feeling as they arrive. Staff skilfully teach children to respect one another and they learn from a young age to be aware of their friends and to take turns. They smile with pride when they get a kindness heart to put up on their kindness tree.

Children show great attitudes to learning and their behaviour is impeccable. Staff have high expectations for every child and value each child's individua...l needs, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work tirelessly to ensure that all children have their own opinions and voice.

Children flourish in all areas of learning. Pre-school children are well on their way to being school ready. Children are independent learners.

For example, they show perseverance with taking their own coats and shoes off, use their own names to self-register, and prepare their own snacks and drinks. Staff create an environment that promotes children's curiosity. Children are encouraged to learn by finding out things for themselves and being active in their wider community.

Children take part in day trips in the community, such as sports day at the local care home and trips to the recycling centre. This helps children to learn about the world around them. During forest school experiences, children learn about taking care of their environment and how to keep themselves safe.

Children articulate what they know as they recall previous learning and discuss their needs. Staff encourage children to use their language skills as they sing songs and repeat lines from stories. Children skilfully cut with scissors, use pencils to write their names and mix different materials to make 'potions'.

Their physical skills are promoted as they ride bicycles with dexterity and join in with 'rhythm time'.

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

The quality of education for all children is exemplary. Staff have a clear intent for what children's next steps are and what they want them to learn, and they embed these next steps into everyday activities.

Staff are passionate about widening children's experiences. This helps every child to make rapid progress and gain a solid foundation for their future learning.Staff use all opportunities to develop children's physical, language and social skills and they are passionate about promoting children's independence.

They enthusiastically praise and encourage children when they complete tasks, such as when children carefully take seeds from a wok and place them into the crevices of a pine cone.Children respect each other's individuality and embrace diversity. They learn about different cultures, faiths and disabilities and about music and instruments from around the world.

Volunteers from a college for children with SEND visit and read the children stories. This helps children to be inclusive, accepting and respectful. Staff use various groups in the community to build on children's knowledge of the world.

Children explore the outdoors as they visit the woodland area. Staff plan meticulously for these sessions, which cover all areas of learning. Staff use innovative activities, such as Japanese Hapa Zome, to teach children about nature.

Children place flowers between tissue paper, hit them with rocks and look at the patterns the flowers make. Children learn about which plants and berries can be harmful.Children's attitude to independent learning is superb.

They articulate their needs well, using full sentences. Staff encourage children to voice their opinions, and they promote confidence in language by asking open-ended questions. Children engage in conversations about various topics throughout the day.

Staff use effective observation and assessment to meet children's next steps. They use a variety of methods to share information with parents about children's progress and next steps, including social media, text messages and face-to-face meetings. Staff liaise closely with other agencies and professionals to obtain additional help for children and their families when needed.

Children with SEND receive targeted support. Consequently, gaps in children's learning are closing rapidly. The manager is quick to use funding for any specific resources a child might need.

Staff have built excellent links with parents. Parents are all thrilled with their children's progress. They state that the pre-school is a 'home away from home'.

All parents, including parents of children with SEND, state that staff are supportive, welcoming, and there for them when they need them.Leadership and management are exemplary. The manager is extremely supportive to encourage and enhance staff's professional development.

Staff attend extensive training to continually build on their knowledge and interests. Managers are highly supportive of staff and their well-being, and mental health is of the utmost importance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open safeguarding culture across the pre-school. Leaders implement ongoing suitability checks to ensure that all staff are suitable. Staff are fully aware of their responsibility to keep children safe.

Staff attend safeguarding training, and the manager uses scenarios to test out their knowledge. All staff can recognise the signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They understand the risks to a child from extremism and know what to do if they have concerns.

Staff carry out robust risk assessments of the premises and during outings to ensure the safety of children at all times. Children learn to keep themselves safe. They walk exceptionally well across busy roads and know how to climb ladders and low branches safely.