Clarence House Godmanchester Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive enthusiastically at the pre-school, eager to begin their day. They excitedly tell staff their news and greet their friends.

Children have formed strong attachments to the staff, who provide a welcoming and secure environment where children feel safe. Staff are kind and nurturing, helping children to develop good levels of self-confidence and an enjoyment of learning. Staff support children's personal and social development very well.

They lead by example and help children to understand how to show consideration for each other. Children's behaviour is good. They listen to others, take turns and share res...ources willingly.

Staff praise children's efforts and children readily celebrate each other's achievements. This helps build their confidence and reinforces their positive attitudes to learning.Children are learning how to keep themselves healthy.

They discuss the importance of washing their hands to stop the spread of germs. Staff promote children's good health, encouraging them to be physically active. Children enjoy playing outdoors.

They ride around on the 'bus bike', working together collaboratively to move the vehicle forward. Children take great delight in rolling objects down through big cardboard tubes and wait eagerly for them to pop out at the other end.

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

Staff work well together.

They say that they enjoy working at the pre-school and there is a strong team spirit. The manager values the staff team and provides effective systems of support and performance management, ensuring staff have regular opportunities for training.Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have stayed in contact with all children and their families when they were not able to attend the pre-school.

Staff shared ideas and activities with parents to help children continue to make progress in their learning.Staff have a good knowledge of their key children. They understand what children already know and what they need to learn next.

In addition, they liaise with other professionals, where appropriate, and this helps them to decide what to teach children.Children are developing good communication skills. They have acquired a wide vocabulary, which they use readily.

Staff talk to children during activities, ensuring they pronounce words correctly, and ask questions that engage children's thinking. Children demonstrate with confidence what they know. For example, they explain that flamingos stand on one leg and that pandas eat bamboo.

They also know that tigers run very fast.Staff find out what children can already do when they first start at the pre- school. This enables them to tailor their support for children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Funding, such as early years pupil premium, is used very well. Additional sessions and resources help to reduce any differences in children's learning.Staff help children to understand about keeping safe.

They gently remind children to be aware of any dangers, while encouraging them to take risks in their play under their watchful supervision. Children enjoy taking turns to carry out the daily outdoor risk assessment. Wearing high-visibility vests and with their clipboards, they walk round the outdoor area to check that it is safe.

Children are generally independent and try to do things for themselves. They readily help themselves to water when they are thirsty. Occasionally, staff do not recognise when children are able to do more by themselves.

Some routines are not organised well enough to encourage all children to be highly independent.Parents praise the quality of care their children receive and provide positive comments about their children's experiences. They say that their children have settled very well and enjoy an interesting range of activities.

Although partnerships with parents are good, the leadership team has not found successful ways to involve all parents in their children's learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a good understanding of child protection and a wide range of safeguarding issues.

They know the importance of acting swiftly to protect children and the procedures to follow. Regular safeguarding training and professional discussions help to keep their knowledge up to date. The provider has robust recruitment and vetting arrangements in place to help ensure that staff working with children are suitable for their role.

Effective staff deployment means that children are well supervised and cared for. Staff carry out daily checks to ensure that the premises remain safe and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review the organisation of routines to provide children with more opportunities to become independent and do things for themselves find further ways to encourage all parents to help guide and support their children's learning at home.