Cringleford Crackerjacks Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children arrive at this friendly and inclusive setting feeling relaxed and safe as they swiftly become deeply involved in their chosen activities. The skilfully planned indoor and outdoor environments spark children's curiosity and support their physical and emotional development.

For example, in the role-play café, children develop their writing skills. Children gleefully read out what is on the menu to their peers and show a feeling of satisfaction as they write for a purpose. Staff expertly extend children's ideas and plan activities to encourage them to become highly motivated and independent learners.

Addi...tionally, staff support children to become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs.Children develop a love of reading as books are available in all areas of the setting. Children enjoy snuggling up on a cosy chair to look at a book with a peer or listen to a favourite story being beautifully read by a member of staff with captivating animation.

Staff consistently introduce new vocabulary that children repeat to communicate effectively. Children who speak English as an additional language have an amazing care and education experience. With attentive support from staff, all children make rapid progress from their starting points.

With the use of picture cards and sign language, children are beginning to express their wishes and extend interactions with others.

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

Children's emotional well-being is a high priority in this setting. Staff support children's understanding of emotions by using books and activities that encourage colour association.

For example, while making green play dough with herbs grown in the garden, children comment that the colour green means they feel 'calm'. Staff then encourage them to smell the herbs in the play dough, offering a therapeutic experience. As a result, children are starting to make connections and understand what they feel and, possibly, why.

It is evident that staff have a common understanding of the curriculum intent and what it means for their practice. Staff interactions are of an outstanding quality. Staff expertly teach mathematical concepts, such as counting through daily interactions.

Knowledgeable staff know when to interact with children during their play to consolidate and further their mathematical development.A well-established key-person system ensures that staff know children's starting points. Meticulous use of assessment helps staff to plan suitably challenging activities and respond to specific needs.

Additionally, staff swiftly identify when a child may need additional help to make the highest possible progress. Staff initiate communication with outside professionals, such as speech and language therapists, and work cumulatively with them. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop detailed knowledge and skills across the seven areas of learning.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and conduct. Staff support children's understanding of why behaviour rules are in place, and children respond well to gentle reminders of what is expected from them. For example, staff gently tap a triangle instrument and children recognise that the 'ding' noise means it is story time or tidy-up time.

As a result, children develop high levels of confidence, independence and extremely good manners as they know what is expected of them.Partnerships with parents are exceptional. Parents say that staff go 'the extra mile' to include them in their child's learning and development journey.

The setting offers regular stay-and-play sessions and individualised settling-in sessions, which build effective and trusting relationships. As a result, parents report that they feel their children are treated as unique individuals and their input is highly valued. Parents appreciate a weekly online blog and daily face-to-face communications regarding their children's progress.

The manager is passionate and dedicated to ensuring that they and the staff receive focused and highly effective professional development. The management team acts with integrity to ensure all children have full access to their full entitlement of early education. All staff report high levels of support for well-being issues and report that the mentor system gives staff ongoing support.

The management team engages effectively with children, their parents and others in the community, including schools and other local services.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Safeguarding is given unquestionable priority, and regular risk assessments ensure children are always kept safe.

The manager demonstrates a vigorous safe recruitment process that involves ongoing monthly suitability checks of staff. Leaders and managers have extremely clear expectations of staff. All staff have robust safeguarding knowledge and can identify signs of potential abuse and/or neglect.

Staff know what action to take if they are concerned about the welfare of a child. Regular safeguarding training is provided to all staff members. Additionally, the manager makes use of scenarios to deepen staff's knowledge of wider issues, including grooming and exploitation.

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