Enchanted Wood Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely happy settled and confident. Their every need is recognised, planned for and provided for throughout their time in the setting.

Children play in a harmonious environment that highly promotes their individual way of learning. Children confidently explore and experiment in their play, in both the indoor and outdoor areas. They develop friendships and close bonds with their peers and staff.

This is due to the highly committed staff team that work cohesively together to provide a consistent and continual approach to children's care and learning. Children are making excellent progress in their ...learning. They experience a varied, fun and thought-provoking programme of activities and play.

This helps children to gain independence, self-belief, determination and curiosity to want to know more. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have exceptional support and encouragement through multi-agency working. The smallest of milestones achieved for any child is celebrated with everyone involved in their lives.

For example, a moment of eye contact, a non-verbal child making vocal response to an activity or a baby settling and sleeping in a cot for the first time are shared with parents, other staff, professionals and management. The effective holistic approach to the care and development of children is worthy of sharing with other settings.

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

Parents make extremely positive comments about the support and attention to details of their child's time in the setting.

They have every confidence in the staff and feel totally at ease leaving their children in their care. They comment that staff have children's best interests at heart. They recognise that staff's dedication, sympathetic support and positive engagement results in confident, sociable and thriving individuals.

Staff act as extremely positive role models for children, who's behaviour and attitude to others is exemplary. Staff feel exceptionally supported in their professional development through peer-on-peer observations, self-evaluation and regular meetings. Staff's achievements are celebrated and their exceptional practice is disseminated throughout the setting.

Staff have a proactive attitude to constantly making improvements to enable children to make even further progress.Children's emotional well-being is promoted throughout their day. Staff use detailed information from parents to plan children's routines that emulate those from home.

They work with parents on changes to routines to support their children's well-being. For example, children who have had no social contact with other children, due to the pandemic, are given sensitive support to develop trust, relationships with other children and friendships. They develop extremely close attachments to their key person, helping them to feel secure and confident.

Children thoroughly enjoy playing outdoors. They show curiosity to explore and experiment. Babies have a dedicated safe outdoor space.

They confidently roll, crawl, shuffle, stand and walk. They interact with older children through a small low fence. Older children respond with awe and wonder when exploring the forest area.

They use tools to experiment with mud and water. They show fascination as water changes colour and mud becomes sloppy. Staff successfully use personal expertise to lead these sessions.

Children's communication and language is strongly promoted. Babies blow bubbles to develop muscles to create sounds. Staff use simple signs to promote children's confidence to express their needs.

In the toddler room, staff speak simply and slowly to encourage a response, be it gestures, expressions or verbal sounds. Older children develop clear speech through repetition and sound games. The most-able children listen to patterns of sounds in words and count them out by clapping.

Staff use expertly adapted activities to challenge children of different abilities. For example, children's thinking, social interaction, language and imagination is challenged at different levels during the story of 'Billy Goats Gruff'. They use resources, eye contact, books, recall, discussion, negotiation and acting out the story to promote each child's learning.

Children access a wealth of experiences to strongly enrich their learning and development. Children use a role-play beach area, exploring the texture of sand and to experience a seaside environment. Children learn about bike safety and different sports activities that they may not have opportunities to take part in at home.

Children experience playing in snow through the use of a snow machine.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a very clear knowledge of child protection.

They complete regular training and update their knowledge through discussions and staff meetings. Children play in a safe and secure environment, both indoors and outdoors. Staff carry out very effective risk assessment that helps children learn to keep themselves safe.

Children are encouraged to explore the forest areas and experiment with the outdoor environment safely. Children learn about the importance of hygiene procedures as part of their daily routine. For example, helping themselves to tissues, wiping their nose and washing their hands.

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