Asha Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff create a warm, welcoming environment for children and their parents. There have been changes at the setting. However, this has had minimal impact on children's learning and development due to the positive relationships.

Children are settled and learn to behave very well. They respond well to the praise for their efforts and their successes. Consequently, they are motivated to try again or try even harder.

For example, children are proud of zipping their coats up, pouring their milk or climbing higher. They enjoy learning and practising their skills.Overall, staff promote a good level of English.

Parents ...confirm that their children are learning English quickly. At times, staff also switch into children's home language. This helps children to feel settled.

It also helps parents to feel welcome and makes sure that important communication about children's care and learning is understood. Children benefit from the high level of one-to-one support. This means that staff get to know the children very well, and they often spend time interacting with children individually.

The high staffing levels also provide a good level of support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Unexpected changes have created challenge for the provider in several areas. However, the new team has reacted quickly and worked well with the local authority.

This means that disruption to the smooth running of the pre-school has been kept to a minimum. Action taken to address weaknesses at the last inspection is also beginning to work well in practice. However, systems to monitor quality and effectiveness are not yet addressing all minor weaknesses.

For example, after their walk out, staff do not routinely take time to deepen children's learning about what interested them at the park.Staff support children's developing language well. They engage children in conversation throughout the day.

At times, the conversational style is calm and purposeful. Staff repeat single words from a long sentence so that children hear and repeat key words. They weave mathematical language into all aspects of children's play.

However, there are occasions when adults talk too quickly without giving time for children to respond. There is also little attention given to the specific vocabulary that children need to learn as part of a theme or topic.Staff have a detailed knowledge of children's learning needs.

This helps them to deliver a curriculum based on each child's interests and abilities. Staff know which children can nearly count to 10. They know which children can almost use the toilet independently and who can nearly climb to the top of the frame.

This helps staff to offer support and encouragement, in the right balance, at the right time. The quality of teaching is often good.Parents are very pleased with how their children have settled.

They say that their children are being helped with their physical skills and their behaviour. Parents are confident that staff are helping children to learn English. However, they are not sure which particular words or songs they are learning.

On the whole, children are confident in purposeful routines that promote their independence. For example, children routinely wash their hands before eating. They happily help to tidy up ready for snack.

They also learn to get themselves ready for group time.Staff take the children out into the community each day. This is a strength at the setting.

They learn how to buy fruit for their snack on their shopping trip. Children particularly enjoy going to the local park. They develop their strength, balance and confidence as they climb higher up the frame.

Children learn to enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle and feel part of the wider community. They are also excited to find ladybirds in the grass. Staff help children to notice the different shades of red, count the spots and how to handle them with care.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand the signs and symptoms that children might be at risk of harm outside the setting. They understand children's behaviour and how they use this to communicate their feelings.

Support from the wider organisation and awareness of other agencies ensure that children and parents receive the support they need. Staff encourage children to develop the skills and understanding they need to keep themselves safe. When hazards are pointed out on the way to the park, children point them out themselves on the way back.

Their good behaviour also promotes their safety. They learn to listen to staff and heed what they say.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen monitoring systems so that leaders can make improvements to everyday routines and situations that will have the greatest impact on children's learning support children's developing language even more by, for example, being more precise about the vocabulary and songs that children are learning and need to practise, so that this can be more easily supported by all staff and parents.