Downhall Under Fives

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children run excitedly into the pre-school and greet the staff warmly. Staff are kind and affectionate to children as they return their enthusiastic greeting.

Children form close bonds with the staff and they settle quickly into the welcoming environment. Children demonstrate by their happy expressions that they feel confident and safe.Staff have high expectations of the abilities of all children in the pre-school.

They promote an inclusive environment that meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children learn to communicate well. Staff engage children in co...nversation about their play and about their adventures at home.

They use picture timetables to help younger children and those who speak English as an additional language to understand the order of the routines and activities they enjoy. Staff are consistent with the strategies they use to manage children's behaviour. They treat children with respect and teach them kindly to share the toys and take turns.

For example, staff use sand timers to teach children to wait patiently for their turn. Children learn to negotiate and think about the feelings and needs of their friends.

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

Staff obtain information about children's abilities through discussions with parents and from their own observations.

They monitor children's progress and are quick to identify any delays in their learning. Staff work very closely with parents and with other professionals involved in children's care to provide a safe environment that is suitable for their individual needs. This enables children to grow in confidence and develop their skills at a fast pace.

Staff plan activities for children based on their interests and their individual learning needs. For example, when children show a particular fascination for dinosaurs, staff introduce them into different areas of the pre-school. Children draw around toy dinosaurs and build habitats from recycled materials and twigs.

They talk about the unusual names when completing puzzles and looking at books.Children enjoy being outdoors. They are physically active as they climb on tall apparatus and make castles from soil.

Children plant seeds and see them grow into vegetables. They harvest them and are excited to see brightly coloured chilli peppers and tomatoes. Children pull up carrots from the ground and are surprised that they are dirty.

Staff wash them and children chop and prepare them for their snack.Staff are creative and tell imaginary stories from topics chosen by the children. For example, children talk about dinosaurs in a snowy land.

Staff ask them to imagine they are on a magic carpet ride, which they describe in great detail. Children learn new words, such as 'igloo', and are enthralled as they listen carefully to how the ice melts when the dinosaurs have their tea.Children become independent quickly.

They manage their own personal needs well and find their own towel by searching for their name. Children help with the routines of the pre-school as they sweep the floor and tidy away their playthings. Staff teach children to make healthy choices and to sit still at the table for lunch to keep safe.

Staff build good relationships with parents. They invite parents into the pre-school to discuss their children's progress and to attend special events. However, staff do not provide regular enough opportunities for parents to express their views or ideas in order to enhance children's experiences even further.

The views of parents are not always taken into account when managers evaluate the quality of teaching and learning.Managers and staff work well together as a team. Managers observe staff's practice regularly and supervise them well.

Staff feel supported and content in their roles. However, managers have not established a focused programme of training for staff in order to raise the quality of teaching further and continually enhance their professional development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Managers follow safe recruitment procedures when employing new staff. They ensure that all staff are safe to work with children by checking their identity and suitability. Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities to safeguard the children in their care.

They understand the signs that could indicate that a child's well-being is at risk. Staff have a good knowledge of local safeguarding procedures and know where to report any concerns.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide more frequent opportunities for parents to give their views on the quality of the provision and strengthen the self-evaluation process to take these fully into account nestablish a targeted programme of training for staff to support their continuous professional development to raise the quality of teaching to a higher level.