Brixworth Centre Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happily at this welcoming pre-school.

Staff have excellent bonds with children. For example, children smile as they run over to staff to give them cuddles, showing they feel safe and secure. Children have positive relationships with their friends.

They confidently welcome visitors into their play as they offer them pretend cups of tea. Children learn how to keep safe, as staff offer gentle reminders, such as how to use the slide on the climbing frame. They are supported by staff to develop their independence.

For example, staff show children how to open food packets at lunch, saying to use 'pin...chy parrot' with their fingers to open them. Children are proud as they manage this task successfully.Children explore and engage well in the wide variety of activities that staff provide.

They enjoy spending time outside and use their imagination to build a house. Children play cooperatively as they use planks of wood and foam bricks to do this. They develop good physical skills as they practise kicking balls.

Children confidently scale the climbing frame and proudly shout, 'I did it!', as they reach the top. Children's communication and language development is supported well. They fill in the missing words as staff read familiar stories to them.

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

The pre-school supervisor, staff team and committee are dedicated to their roles. Staff report that the pre-school supervisor is 'amazing' and very supportive. She carries out appraisals with staff, where they discuss their professional development and well-being.

She is proactive in sourcing training to help improve staff skills. For example, Makaton training has been implemented to further support children's communication and language development.Parents are extremely complimentary of the pre-school.

They comment that staff regularly share information with them about their child's learning and development. Staff provide ideas for parents on how to support their child's continued learning at home. Parents say that since their children have attended, their speech and social skills have improved.

The pre-school supervisor and staff ensure they try to promote an inclusive environment for all children. However, they do not consistently use information gathered from parents about children's individual backgrounds and heritage well enough. As a result, not all children's diverse backgrounds are reflected in the play, environment and activities on offer.

Staff provide a curriculum that follows children's interests. They know what the children need to learn in order to make effective progress. Staff deliver focus weeks for each child where they are intensely supported to work towards next steps in their learning.

Observations are used and reflected upon to check for any gaps in learning and plan activities appropriately to support these.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extremely well supported. The pre-school's special educational needs coordinator works closely with staff, parents and other professionals.

This helps staff to support children to work towards individual next steps in their learning. The pre-school supervisor uses additional funding well. For example, one-to-one staffing is provided for children who need it the most, with additional resources purchased to support their development.

This enables children to make good progress.Staff extend children's learning as they play. For example, children discuss with staff that they are scared of dinosaurs and ask if there are any in the village.

Staff remind them that dinosaurs are no longer here and introduce the word 'extinct' to them. Children listen with intent as staff talk about dinosaur skeletons that are displayed in museums.Children behave well, resulting in the pre-school having a calm atmosphere.

Staff help children to talk about their feelings and emotions and remind children to use kind hands and to share with one another.Children independently put on their own coats before going out to play. However, staff do not always support children to develop their self-help skills as much as they could.

For example, children are not always encouraged to tidy up after themselves or consistently reminded to wash their hands after visiting the bathroom independently.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a strong understanding of the different types of abuse children can be subjected to, including the signs and symptoms of female genital mutilation.

They are confident in the setting's policies and procedures. They know to report concerns about children or adults to one of the designated safeguarding leads. Staff are also aware of who they can escalate concerns to if needed.

The supervisor refreshes staff knowledge by asking them questions and discussing safeguarding topics at regular meetings and during supervisions. The supervisor and committee are aware of their responsibility to check staff suitability, as well as new committee members, in order to work with children.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nuse information gathered about children's backgrounds and heritage to help staff provide an inclusive environment for all help staff to consistently support children to develop their self-care skills.