Little Paxton Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive happily and are welcomed warmly by friendly staff.

Children settle well, choosing from a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities. Staff know the children well. They offer many opportunities for children and their families to get to know the staff and pre-school environment before children start.

This helps children to build strong bonds with staff from the outset. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure as they explore and talk to staff.Staff follow children's lead in play.

They join in and ask questions that help to build on what children know and can do. Children lear...n about capacity and volume as they pour water into containers. Staff introduce words to describe what is happening, such as when water overflows.

Children are creative and have good opportunities to develop their ideas. For instance, under guidance and supervision by staff, they create raised pathways to balance and walk on. They pretend they are surrounded by water and work together to rescue friends who 'fall in'.

Children behave well, listen to staff and learn how to keep each other safe. For instance, they learn not to run inside and how to share and take turns. Children are keen to join in with activities and demonstrate curiosity in the world around them.

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

Leadership is strong. Leaders and staff have worked hard to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They have taken prompt, decisive action, seeking guidance and support from the local authority to drive improvements.

Leaders have an accurate view of the pre-school's strengths and areas for development.Leaders have improved the arrangements for supervision meetings with staff. They are more precisely focused to identify staff's strengths in practice and areas they need support in.

Leaders arrange appropriate training and coaching to help to develop staff knowledge and skills. Staff are enthusiastic in their roles. They state that they feel well supported to maintain a good work and home-life balance.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from individually tailored support that meets their needs and offers appropriate challenge. Staff work closely with families and other professionals to understand children's needs and support them to engage in play.Teaching is good.

Staff understand how children learn and develop. They plan well to support what individual children need to do next in their learning and to reflect their emerging interests. For instance, there is a strong focus to support children's communication and language skills.

Staff build on children's interest in cars and dinosaurs to encourage children to talk and share what they know.Staff provide a wealth of opportunities that encourage children's interest in reading. Children choose books to share with staff, who read with enthusiasm and support children to count the chickens they see in the pictures.

Children join in confidently with nursery rhymes. They take books home to share with their parents each week.Staff encourage children to do things for themselves from the start.

Children find their name tag on arrival and at snack time. They help to prepare food for snack and clear away their plates and cups. Staff show children how to put on their coats when they choose to play outside.

Staff give children lots of praise and encouragement. They give children clear explanations to help them learn about their feelings and how their actions may affect others. For instance, older children confidently ask staff for help, such as when a younger child takes toys from them.

Staff work well in partnership with parents and other professionals, sharing information about children's progress frequently. Children have regular opportunities to visit the host school, use school equipment and engage in forest school activities. This significantly supports children's emotional well-being when it is time to move to school.

Although staff provide children with good opportunities to explore and be creative, there are fewer opportunities for children to build on their interest in how toys and objects work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff attend regular safeguarding training and receive regular updates about child protection.

Staff confidently fulfil their role to protect children from harm. They know what to do should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff have a good understanding of wider safeguarding issues.

The committee follows robust recruitment processes to help to assure the suitability of staff and committee members. Staff are committed to providing children with a safe and secure environment.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: broaden opportunities for children to explore mechanical and technological toys and resources.

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