Little Rascals Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy, curious and well behaved. Staff provide a bright, stimulating and motivating environment for children to learn and develop in.

They work well as a team. Staff provide activities which capture children's interest and help them progress well. For instance, children dress as pirates as they draw their treasure maps and search for hidden objects.

Children are physically challenged when they scramble around the tyre circuit or climb ladders and swoop down slides.Children show kindness and learn to share with others. They become increasingly independent.

Children are well prepared for the next st...age of their education, including starting school. Staff help them to feel safe and confident in their ability. Children enjoy explaining what they are doing.

Staff build strong bonds with parents, which underpin children's learning and development. They have maintained close links with parents and children throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and provide a warm welcome even though parents do not come into the setting as they used to. The manager has high expectations and is ambitious for every child to reach their full potential.

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

The experienced and qualified manager provides clear leadership. She knows the needs of the community she serves well. She is strongly supported by enthusiastic and qualified staff.

Staff have clear roles and have access to a range of training opportunities. For example, those working towards higher level qualifications contribute to developing planning and teaching. However, the manager does not focus training on helping staff to extend ways to build on children's thinking skills.

Staff know their children well and understand the steps to take to address any gaps in their learning. There are planned induction procedures to help new children settle smoothly in to the pre-school's routines whenever they start. During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents have been unable to enter the setting.

However, staff now provide opportunities for parents to spend time in the setting when others are not there. They share detailed information about their children's individual interests and needs, which staff use well to ensure the best start.Overall, staff plan well for children's learning across all areas of development.

They closely observe children's achievements and identify their interests to plan activities. For example, children who have difficulties in learning to speak build steadily on their ability to listen and follow instruction. However, staff do not fully plan for the consistent development and enrichment of children's vocabulary.

They do not consistently frame questions to encourage children to extend their vocabulary.Children build very strong relationships with adults and feel secure. Staff speak in a clear, calm but enthusiastic manner to engage and support the children.

There are lots of smiles and laughter from children and staff. For example, during games such as playing on massage mats or dancing with colourful scarves. Children enjoy counting steps as they climb or sorting and matching toy animals by shape, colour and size.

This helps to promote their mathematical understanding.The manager and staff offered strong support to the families of children who could not attend during COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions. They provided resources and activities to help children's learning online.

The manager and staff ensured consistently good levels of communication. Staff use additional funding well to have a lasting impact on children's achievement and address any gaps in their learning. For example, staff access training, such as sign language.

They tailor support to children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff help to manage children's specific medical needs. They work closely with other agencies to further support children and their families.

Staff are consistently kind and gentle role models to children. They warmly praise children and value all their efforts.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding lead ensures staff are trained well in child protection procedures and wider safeguarding issues. She holds frequent safeguarding discussions at staff meeting and makes sure staff access the latest guidance. She regularly tests their knowledge and understanding through spot checks, quizzes and staff meetings.

Staff have a very clear knowledge of the signs of abuse and neglect and how to report them. Robust policies and procedures reflect expectations of the local authority and are fully available to parents.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: build on the planning for learning in all areas to strengthen children's development of a wide and rich vocabulary focus training to help build on staffs' responses to children's questions and build on children's thinking skills.