Alpington & Yelverton Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff offer a home visit to help them get to know the child and family and to understand what each child can do and is interested in, right from the start. They set out the pre-school environment well with a wide range of resources and learning opportunities. Children move confidently between the hall and outdoor area and select what they would like to do next.

They have fun and laugh together, for instance, as they knock over a tall tower of blocks.Children learn to be independent and perform tasks and roles that they are in charge of. They select what they would like to eat for snack, pour their own drinks and wash their plat...e and cup when they have finished.

Staff are close by to offer support and encourage children to try different foods. Children learn about the concept of voting. For instance, they choose which story is read through casting their vote and find out if their choice has won.

Staff have high expectations of children. They adopt positive behaviour-management strategies to help children learn about rules and boundaries. Staff give children encouragement and praise that helps them to achieve.

Children beam with pride on their success.

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

The management committee fully understands their role and have a good overview of the pre-school. They hold regular meetings and provide effective support.

The manager ensures that staff are well supported with their well-being and has strategies in place to help reduce their workload.The manager and staff continually reflect on what they provide for children. For instance, they have recognised that they could offer children more physical activities indoors.

Staff identify training courses to help enhance their knowledge and skills and are confident to implement new ideas in the pre-school. For example, they have introduced yoga sessions. Children are enthusiastic as they take part, and some are eager to name and demonstrate the yoga positions they have learned.

The pre-school provides an inclusive service. Staff are knowledgeable about children's specific needs, such as those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with parents and other professionals to provide targeted interventions to help children to achieve to their full potential.

Staff have recently developed the outdoor area to provide a good range of resources that promote children's natural instincts to explore. For example, children enjoy placing and watching a ball roll down a length of guttering. They seek out magnifying glasses to hunt for any insects that may be hiding in the planters.

Staff develop highly effective partnership working with parents. They use a wide range of methods to engage parents. For example, staff host 'story-cafe' events in the evenings, and send a 'bedtime bunny' home with children to help develop a love of reading.

Family members have opportunities to become involved in the pre-school through stay-and-play sessions during 'family's week'. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and staff team.Staff know the children well and talk confidently about their interests.

They assess what children can do and swiftly address any gaps, keeping parents well informed. Staff plan activities to help children gain the skills and knowledge they need to support the next stage in their learning.Children develop good social skills.

They play cooperatively with others, make friends and enjoy their play together.Staff support children well to develop their communication and language skills. They ask appropriate questions and give children time to respond.

Children enjoy having conversations with staff about their experiences at home. They listen well to staff and follow instructions, such as when it is time to help tidy the toys away.Staff consistently engage children in a range of activities.

They join in with children's play and comment on what they do. However, on occasions, staff do not provide children with enough challenge to help them make the best possible progress in their learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The management committee follow robust recruitment procedures to help ensure that staff are suitable for their role. Staff place a high priority on ensuring that children are safe. They attend appropriate safeguarding training and regularly refresh their knowledge of child protection, for instance, by discussing safeguarding scenarios.

Posters are displayed in the building to remind staff and parents who they should contact if they have a concern about children's welfare. Staff support parents, when necessary, to understand the risks of their children being around older siblings who use digital technology at home.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance staff's teaching skills further so that they provide children with additional challenge to extend their learning to the highest level.