Peter Pan Preschool

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and confident in this unique setting. They separate from their parents, excited to engage in the well-resourced environment.

Children build strong relationships with their key person through an effective settling-in process, which starts with a home visit. Staff gather information to create individual care routines, which supports the transition when starting at the nursery. Children behave well.

Staff are good role models and encourage children to learn to use good manners, to be considerate of others and the importance of sharing and turn-taking.Children are enthusiastic in their play. For example,... during forest school sessions, children search for bugs and shout to staff excitedly, 'Come and see!' when they find a worm.

They identify types of leaves using a picture book as a reference, and babies play peekaboo with staff and their peers in the tepee. Staff go out of their way to provide emotional support for the children when their parents are posted away for prolonged periods of time. Children are motivated to learn.

Activities are based on children's prior experiences and individual interests. For example, staff have created a 'doctors' practice' in the role-play area. For children who enjoy balancing, staff have created an obstacle course for children to practise these skills.

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

The manager and staff provide an effective curriculum. They have a clear idea of what they want children to learn, and they plan and provide a range of opportunities to enhance children's learning and development. Consequently, children make good progress and are ready for the next stage in their learning.

Staff implement a strong settling-in process. They gather information from parents, which helps staff to build on what children know and can do when they start. Furthermore, they exchange and use ongoing information to ensure that children's interests shape activities, to engage them and support the next steps in their learning.

Children are settled and have formed good attachments with staff. These relationships are valued by the parents, and children seek out their key person for comfort and reassurance.Older children have daily access to the outside environment.

This helps to enhance their physical development, health and well-being. However, younger children do not get the same opportunities to access the garden and benefit from the fresh air and exercise.Staff focus on supporting children to develop their communication and language.

They introduce new words and encourage conversations, and children are able to share their thoughts and ideas.Staff provide stories and songs throughout the day. Children listen and take part enthusiastically in their favourite books and songs.

Staff use music and sounds with younger children to encourage their interest. Older children engage and get involved in the characters as staff read familiar stories to them, such as 'Little Red Riding Hood'.Good health and hygiene for older children are promoted well.

Older children learn to manage their own care needs. For example, they are able to independently access toilets, and they wash their hands before and after food and after messy play activities. However, some staff do not practise consistently high levels of hygiene when preparing bottles for babies and young children.

Staff teach children skills for later in life, which includes growing their own vegetables. Children learn how to be independent as they put on their coats and wellington boots and make their own sandwiches to eat for their tea.Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good.

The special educational needs coordinator has a detailed understanding of each child and knows how to best help children reach their full potential. They engage with outside agencies to ensure consistency in their approach and the support provided in the setting and elsewhere.Leaders gather the views of parents and staff when evaluating the provision.

They use what they find out to devise action plans and take steps to continually improve. There are good systems in place to monitor staff performance, identify areas to develop and support staff well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and managers carry out robust recruitment processes and ensure all staff have up-to-date training in paediatric first aid and safeguarding. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms to look for when identifying abuse, and they react swiftly and are confident with how to escalate any concerns. There are good procedures in place to keep children safe and secure.

For example, every door has a keycode lock, gardens are secure with fencing and there are clear rules and boundaries for children to follow. Staff supervise children well and spend time explaining to children about risks and how to keep safe, particularly in the forest school.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nextend the outdoor learning opportunities for younger children develop more-consistent and higher standards of hygiene in food preparation for the babies and younger children.