Hazeldene Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement The manager, who is relatively new in post, and the staff team create a warm welcome for children and their families. They get to know the children and their needs well and work with parents to help children feel secure.

All children, even those who initially find it difficult to settle, respond well to the staff. They show that they feel happy and safe in their surroundings as they confidently move around and choose their preferred activities.Despite weaker practice continuing in terms of support and coaching for the manager, there is no impact on children.

The manager has developed clear intentions for all children's le...arning. She understands children's abilities and their specific learning needs. She uses the information to plan and provide a curriculum that helps children to deepen their knowledge and make good progress from their unique starting points.

Staff use innovative ways to encourage children to behave in respectful and safe ways. For example, they teach children group rules and how to play amicably together. Children talk about using 'kind hands' and not running indoors to demonstrate they understand staff expectations for their behaviour and keeping safe.

Children play well together and show that they enjoy their learning.

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

The provider has not met an action from the last inspection to provide ongoing support and coaching for the manager. This does not affect children's good care or learning experiences.

The manager supports and develops the staff team well and ensures that children are safe, emotionally secure and making good progress in their learning.The provider failed to notify Ofsted of a reportable matter, as required. On this occasion, the manager took effective action, and there was no impact on children's care or safety.

In addition, the manager understands the matters that must be notified to Ofsted in future.Staff implement the curriculum aims well. Most of the time, they plan and provide a good variety of activities that keep children occupied throughout the session.

Occasionally, activities, such as some group times, are not quite pitched to individual children's interests or their levels of understanding. At these times, some children become distracted and others lose concentration.Staff understand where gaps in children's learning may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, or to any additional needs they may have.

They use assessment well from children's starting points to identify and close these gaps, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They help children to master new skills through small, achievable steps.There is currently a strong focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development.

Staff help to develop children's confidence, independence and good social skills through the everyday activities and routines they provide. Children behave well and develop the emotional well-being they need for learning and for their future lives.Since the last inspection, the programme for children's communication and language development has improved further.

Staff ask children interesting questions and introduce new words, such as 'Bethlehem' and 'stable', as they read to them. They encourage children to explore the initial sounds to words, for instance as they sing action songs. Children are confident communicators and make good progress in this area of learning.

The manager and staff work well with other professionals to meet the needs of children with SEND. They use funding to provide resources that help these children and those who speak English as an additional language to communicate and learn. Children progress well because staff know and meet their individual learning needs.

Staff provide children with nutritious snacks and plenty of time to be physically active outdoors. However, they do not consistently help children to learn about healthy eating and why exercise is good for them as part of developing their awareness of good health.Staff work well with parents to support children's care and learning needs.

Parents report that their children want to attend the pre-school even when they are unwell. They feel that the staff have played a huge part in identifying and obtaining help for children's medical and learning needs. Parents are impressed by their children's ability to recall what they have been learning at pre-school, including the words to new songs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager checks that the play environment is safe, clean and suitable for children. Risk assessments are effective, and the setting is safe and secure.

Staff understand the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They know how to report any concerns about a child's welfare, including to relevant local safeguarding partners. They also understand how to manage and report any concerns about a colleague's behaviour towards a child.

Despite the weakness identified in leadership and management, the manager and staff work well as a team to keep children safe and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date provide effective, ongoing support for the manager and staff team to better enable them to understand their roles and responsibilities.19/12/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: consider how levels of challenge in activities can be adapted to help all children gain the most from their learning experiences help children to begin to understand more about the benefits of exercise and healthy eating to help them learn about good health.