Chipstead Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely happy, active learners who feel safe in the pre-school. They thoroughly enjoy the daily routine that is so familiar to them. Staff have extremely clear expectations for children's behaviour.

They are exemplary role models, particularly in relation to their polite, respectful communication. They patiently gain children's cooperation, for example, when they are attending to their care needs.The curriculum is ambitious for all children.

Staff provide a wealth of interesting resources and activities that successfully inspire and motivate children to learn. For example, children learn about siz...e and number as they place dinosaur bones in order of length. They make discoveries while using magnets and learn what causes ice to melt while playing with arctic animals in water.

Children learn about life cycles, for example as they watch frogs emerge from spawn, which they return to their natural habitat.Children are extremely confident communicators. For instance, during group activities, they listen attentively, eagerly talk about the date, month and weather and tell staff that the rain makes flowers healthy.

Children smile with enjoyment as they join in with the words and actions to songs. They learn to use sign language, for example, while singing a good morning song with staff and their friends.

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

Staff provide children with an extremely well-designed, ambitious and exciting curriculum.

The high quality of teaching practice across the staff team enables all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to make outstanding progress. All children receive the support they need to access the curriculum, which staff adapt to meet children's individual needs.Staff have an exemplary understanding of when to join in children's play to support their learning and when to give them time to play independently.

Children develop exceptional concentration. They frequently choose to repeat activities on their own, and practise what they have already learned. As a result, their play is extremely purposeful and their learning is fully embedded.

Staff skilfully develop children's listening skills, vocabulary and confidence to talk. For example, they use carefully planned objectives during all activities, as well as small group and individual activities, to successfully reduce any gaps in children's language development.Staff consistently respond to children's interests and choices to extend and challenge their learning.

For example, children eagerly use small fishing nets to collect and count items such as plastic frogs in a water tray. Staff challenge this area of children's development, for instance as they teach children to complete simple addition.Children develop excellent independence and social skills.

They often talk together during activities and share their ideas. Staff support children extremely well to learn to take turns and respect other children's choices. For example, they encourage all children to vote for the books they want them to read to the whole group.

Children are highly motivated and enthusiastic learners who develop an extensive range of skills they need for future learning. Staff fully embrace and support children's great interest in drawing and writing. They provide numerous activities that support children's pre-writing skills, for example, making and using modelling dough which develops their fine motor skills.

Staff support children's physical development exceptionally well. For example, they teach children to balance on low-level stepping stones next to the garden fence, which enables them to look at wildlife on a nearby pond. Children thoroughly enjoy taking part in regular music and movement and yoga activities.

The manager has an exemplary oversight of the setting. She is extremely committed to providing children with high quality care and education. For instance, staff have further supported children's interest in art.

They teach children about the creative styles of different artists such as Liechtenstein and Picasso which children recreate using printing resources and paint.Staff work extremely well in partnership with parents. They share information about children's progress, which parents use to support and further extend children's learning at home.

Parents spoken to during the inspection are very happy with their children's care and learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.