Shenley Church End Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and settled at pre-school.

Staff know children and their families very well. They plan a range of exciting and interesting activities. This helps children master their current skills and learn new ones.

Children engage in their chosen activity and focus on their play. They show curiosity and concentration as they play in the role-play area. They create their game as they each have a role in making tea, cleaning the area and baking.

Children are imaginative in developing their ideas through art and craft activities. For example, they are careful when folding their paper and glue it to build a... house for a leprechaun. Children talk about what they are doing, and staff support children's communication and language.

Staff model language and ask questions to further develop the conversation.Staff teach the children about the world around them and their local community. Children enjoy litter picking and looking after the environment.

They are beginning to understand how their actions can impact others around them. Staff use assessment effectively to identify the needs of the children. This helps them provide the learning experiences that support children to make the progress they are capable of.

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

Staff read and share stories with the children. They read with enthusiasm to engage the children as they listen intently and join in with familiar parts. Staff model language and the pronunciation of new words to help children's communication and language development.

Children develop good physical skills. They learn to use one-handed tools, such as small hammers. They create pictures with wooden shapes and tacks, using the hammers to hold the shapes in place on a cork board.

Staff help children identify risks and assess how to use the resources safely. Staff engage in children's conversations to develop their understanding of managing risk.The manager and staff create an environment that supports what they want children to learn.

They plan activities and learning experiences that support the individual needs of the children. Staff recognise how they learn and provide good interactions that promote children's focus on learning.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour.

They model good behaviour and are consistent in their approach to helping children learn to manage their feelings. When children are struggling to regulate their emotions, staff are gentle and attentive. They provide the support and guidance children need to work through their emotions.

As a result, children are resilient. However, daily routines are not fully effective at certain times of the day, leading to children becoming unsettled and squabbling.Staff plan a range of interesting activities that promote children's engagement in their play.

They concentrate for prolonged periods of time. They enjoy exploring the soil and talking about the texture of the soil. They dig down and bury items for their friends to find.

Children develop their ideas with their friends and talk about what they are doing. They build good relationships with their friends and the staff.Overall, the manager supports staff development well.

She works with staff to review practice and provides constructive feedback to enable staff to improve their skills and knowledge. She provides the coaching and support needed to develop their understanding of the curriculum. However, newer, less-experienced staff are not always consistent in their approach to teaching children to support their good progress.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the daily routines to better support children with transitions throughout the day nuse ongoing staff development to embed consistent teaching approaches.

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