Lytchett Matravers Pre-school Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children make very good progress in all areas of their learning. They are keen to learn new skills and eagerly participate in the wide range of meaningful activities.

The highly skilled staff treat every child as an individual, taking good account of what interests them. For example, because children show interest in birds, staff create a feeding station so that can children enjoy observing the different birds. Children's learning is extended as they investigate and play with wooden eggs which make a range of sounds.

They excitedly compare the sounds they hear with each other. Children with special educational n...eeds and/or disabilities make excellent progress given their starting points, as they are particularly well supported. Staff work closely with other agencies to make sure children receive the help and support they need.

Staff are nurturing and have high expectations for children's learning and behaviour. Children show high levels of respect for each other and older children are supportive of younger children and include them in their play. They help them put on their wet-weather clothes when they are going outside, for example.

Children safely use a range of tools, both indoors and outside. For example, they tend the vegetable patch with shovels and rakes, working harmoniously with each other to prepare the ground for the seeds. Staff are excellent role models and are constantly helping children to achieve to the best of their ability.

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

Staff use highly effective teaching methods to make sure all children enjoy the activities. They build exceptional relationships with the children and their families. Parents are regularly invited to join in with the children, and children are keen to show their parents what they have been doing.

To ensure every child has the same opportunities staff regularly focus on specific children, considering closely each child's current learning and what they need to learn next. They meet with the parents and agree the next steps in the children's learning. This results in children making very good progress.

The highly effective management team is led by an inspirational manager. She is an exceptional role model to staff and children. Regular training opportunities, tailored to individual staff requirements, are routinely offered.

Regular one-to-one meetings and staff meetings mean that staff are kept well informed and feel valued and respected. Staff are fully committed to their own professional development. They work with leaders to identify where they would benefit from improving their knowledge and skills.

They make excellent use of everything they learn to improve their practice.An effective key-person system means that every child has a special adult who is there to support them and make sure they are progressing well, and to provide support for parents and carers. Parents report that they are really impressed that all staff know their children exceptionally well.

Children's communication, language and literacy skills are particularly good. Staff consistently model language and encourage children to learn new words such as 'crumble', as they mix flour, oil and water when making dough. Children are encouraged to make up their own stories and act them out while the others listen carefully.

Staff monitor children's language development closely and provide specific activities to support children with speech and language delay. Staff also provide packs for parents, to help them support children's language development at home.Staff use the whole environment really well, creating lots of different areas where children can choose to play.

At times, the doors are left open and children can freely move between the indoor and outdoor environment. Children and staff enjoy learning together. They laugh and giggle as they explore different ways to move their bodies down the hill.

As children's confidence grows, they move backwards down the slope, taking care not to bump into each other. Staff join in at the children's request and support less confident children to have a go.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are highly effective methods in place to safeguard children. Everyone involved in the pre-school, from the trustees through to staff, have a secure knowledge of safeguarding and fully understand their role and responsibility. Staff are familiar with what to do in the event of a concern regarding a child's welfare.

Staff implement regular risk assessments, particularly with the forest school activities in the outdoor environment, to keep children safe. Children learn how to keep safe around the campfire. Even the youngest children understand they must walk behind the logs that they sit on so that they do not get burned.

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