Scriven Park Pre School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children arrive happily to pre-school.

They are greeted by warm, friendly staff and separate from their parents with ease. Children hang up their coats and pass their lunch boxes to staff. Children explore the activities and resources available.

They enjoy time in the outdoor area. Children test their physical skills as they climb up to a platform before whizzing down the slide. They are keen to show their skills as they pedal wheeled vehicles around the path.

Staff provide a very nurturing environment, where children's care and well-being are given priority. Staff encourage children to respect and listen to each... other as they play. Staff provide a curriculum that is varied and plan activities that link to children's interests.

However, during spontaneous play staff do not consistently provide sufficient challenge to children to fully engage them and extend their learning. As a result, children do not make the best possible progress.Staff carry out risk assessments to help provide a safe place for children to play and learn.

Staff are able to recognise risks to children during play. For example, they remind children not to climb on the furniture as they might fall and hurt themselves. However, during the inspection, there was some broken equipment in the outdoor area.

When this was identified staff took immediate action, removed the hazard, and discussed how ongoing procedures would improve.

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

There has been a change to the manager of the pre-school in the last year. The new manager has a clear vision and plans for the continuous improvement of the setting.

These plans are starting to have an impact, meaning that staff morale is high, and staff feel valued. However, supervision of staff, including the manager, is not targeted enough to support ongoing professional development. Additionally, coaching of staff is not yet effective to support them to consistently promote good quality education.

Staff know children well. They monitor children and complete observations and assessments of their progress. Staff identify when children may need some extra help to support their development.

The manager and staff have good links with other professionals. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good care, support, and development opportunities.Parents say they are happy with how the caring staff help their children to settle at pre-school.

They love the nurturing environment, and the close relationships staff have with their children. Staff provide online information to parents about children's learning. The manager assigns each child a key person, however, in this small setting she ensures that staff know the children and their families.

This means that when key staff are not present, children are still confident and their individual needs met.Staff support children to be healthy and independent. Children wash their hands before snack and lunchtime.

Staff support children to pour milk or water from a jug. Children learn about healthy options as they talk to staff as they eat. They also talk about oral hygiene and the importance of healthy teeth and gums.

Staff have provided each child with oral hygiene products.Children love nature and learning about the natural world. They spend extended periods of time hunting for worms and bugs.

They are thrilled as they see a butterfly and tell their friends to come and have a look. Staff skilfully include mathematical concepts into children's play. Children decide which worm is longest and shortest and they count the spots on the back of a ladybird.

However, children's early writing skills are not as successfully promoted. This is because there is less availability and access to mark-making resources.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have a suitable safeguarding knowledge. They are aware of their responsibilities to keep children safe. Staff provide good supervision to children and there are clear procedures for the safe use of mobile phones.

Staff know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse or harm and how to record and report concerns. They understand the action they need to take if they have concerns about the suitability of a colleague. All staff have been through a robust recruitment process.

Staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications, first-aid certificates and have the necessary Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure all areas of the pre-school are regularly checked and are safe 10/08/2023 implement more effective systems for supervision and coaching of all staff, including the management team, to support ongoing professional development.10/08/2023 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: nenhance the quality of teaching, so that staff's interactions consistently respond to the spontaneous opportunities that arise during children's play to challenge their thinking and learning nextend opportunities for children to access a range of mark-making resources to support their early writing skills.

Also at this postcode