Little Buddies Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Not all children receive a consistently good quality of education as they are not appropriately challenged or supported by staff to engage in purposeful play. Children confidently lead their own play and select what they would like to do and when.

Staff are guided by this and, in the main, join children as they play. Children enjoy the attention that they receive from staff. However, staff do not always build on children's emerging interests or exploration to extend their learning.

Nevertheless, children are happy and enjoy being at the setting. Outdoors, they have fun. Children run around the spacious grassed area, climb... up the slide, balance, use ride-on toys, and dig in the digging area.

Children show that they feel safe at the setting. Staff communicate well with each other about what they are going to do next, to ensure that children are appropriately supervised. However, there are times when some children lack any interaction from staff because staff are busy managing routines, such as clearing away and nappy changing.

Children develop secure relationships with staff and enjoy cuddles and reassurance. They mostly listen to instructions, such as when to stop and tidy away before 'hello time'. Staff praise children for their individual efforts.

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

The provider does not monitor staff practice effectively to raise the quality of practice and outcomes for children. Staff have regular meetings to discuss the environment and make some changes to help benefit the children. For example, leaders have extended the role-play home area so that children have more space to play with familiar items.

However, staff do not recognise opportunities to support children's developing communication and language skills. Sometimes, staff do not spend enough time interacting with and talking to children to ensure that they hear a rich variety of words. Instead, they focus on children identifying familiar letters during phonics sessions.

Staff do not support all children to be successful learners. They know the children well and can discuss the progress they have made. However, staff do not consistently build on children's interests or challenge them in their play.

Leaders know what they want children to learn and provide resources and plan some activities to support children's learning. However, the provider does not support staff to understand how they can use or adapt the environment or equipment to challenge children and build on what they know and can do. As a result, children do not make as much progress as they are capable of.

The provider does not ensure that staff manage daily routines and times of transition well. For example, on the day of the inspection, staff struggled to engage the children during a group story. Some children lost interest and wandered around the room or sat in a storage box on top of toys.

However, when staff sing songs and rhymes, children enjoy this and mostly join in with the familiar actions and words.Leaders and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well, and these children make some progress in their learning and development. Parents of children with SEND highly praise the staff team.

They said that they have attended specific training, such as Makaton sign language, to help them to support their children at home.The provider aims to support children and their families. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection commented positively about the service provided.

They shared that staff communicate regularly about what their children have been doing at the setting.Overall, staff encourage children to be independent and do things for themselves, ready for the next stage in their learning, such as starting school. Staff help to promote children's health and encourage them to follow hygiene routines, such as handwashing before eating.

Older children use the toilet when necessary and know that they need to wash their hands when they have finished.The provider ensures that staff well-being is regularly checked, and all staff report that they feel well supported by the provider and staff team.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The provider ensures that all staff have received training about safeguarding and child protection. Staff understand the possible indicators of abuse and/or neglect and know the procedures to follow if there are concerns about a child. Staff know the whistle-blowing procedures and how to report any concerns about adults working with children.

Key information about safeguarding is displayed within the hall. Staff make effective use of risk assessment to provide children with a safe and secure environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date implement a system of regular supervision for staff to support and monitor their performance and further develop their practice 30/10/2023 ensure that staff use their interactions, activities, and the environment to support children to develop their communication and language skills 30/10/2023 support staff to build on what children already know and can do, so that children achieve as much as they can 30/10/2023 review the organisation of daily routines so that children's learning experiences are consistently good and their needs are met during these times.

30/10/2023