Sporle Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children demonstrate good emotional security. They are warmly greeted by staff and mostly come into the setting readily.

Children happily go off to find their friends. Those children who do not settle quickly are sensitively supported by caring staff. Children develop independence.

They manage their own personal care, relevant to their age and stage of development. Staff support children with potty training and work with parents to achieve this. Staff sit with children while they are using the potty, chatting and singing with them.

Staff talk to children and promote their communication and language skills effe...ctively. Children develop a positive attitude to learning and develop the key skills needed to be ready for the next stage in their learning. Children behave well and happily lead their own play and learning.

Children readily choose what they want to do and explore activities. Staff encourage them to participate. Children are confident, readily coming to the inspector for a chat and to share the resources they are playing with.

They excitedly show the inspector how they roll cars down the chute. They use words such as 'fast' to describe the speed of the vehicles as they roll them down the chute. Those children who learn best from being outdoors are able to do so.

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

Staff know the children well and talk confidently about where they are in their learning. They provide a curriculum that is based around children's needs and interests. However, their teaching does not always challenge children sufficiently to help them make the best possible progress of which they are capable.

Staff ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that all children are fully included in the routines and activities of the day.Children enjoy stories and readily recall them.

For example, a child enthusiastically tells the inspector the repeated refrains from 'The Gingerbread Man'. Children readily look at books with staff. However, staff do not make best use of the available resources to encourage children to explore reading materials and look at books independently.

Children are becoming confident communicators. Staff engage children in conversation, ask questions to encourage them to think and actively listen to what they have to say.Children know what is expected of them and respond positively to the consistent rules.

They build good relationships with each other and consider each other's needs and feelings. Children readily share popular resources, such as the small-world animals. They make up games and play harmoniously together.

Children enjoy the range of physical play opportunities outdoors. They learn to take managed risks as they climb the side of the climbing frame to reach the slide. Staff are on hand to offer support and encouragement.

Children beam with delight when they manage to climb without help. They are learning to use wheeled toys independently.Parents who contributed their views at the inspection state that they are happy with the service provided.

They report good levels of communication that keep them informed about their children's day and learning. Parents feel confident to talk to staff about any concerns they may have. They continue to feel involved in their children's learning and describe staff as 'caring, friendly and approachable'.

Staff work well together as part of a friendly and cohesive team. They report that they feel happy in their work. There is a regular programme of supervision to support staff's well-being and they can seek out management at any time for an informal discussion.

All staff are encouraged in their professional development.The management team understands their roles and responsibilities. The setting is led and managed well.

The management team has effective systems for evaluating the provision. These contribute positively to the drive for improvement in all areas.Staff have built good links with the host school.

This partnership working helps to form a secure basis for children moving into the Reception class. Children are fully supported as they prepare for the next stage in their learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff understand their responsibilities to protect the welfare of children. They are aware of the indicators of abuse and know how to report concerns. Staff understand how to identify and support children or families who may be at risk of harm from extreme behaviours and views.

There is an effective whistle-blowing procedure to ensure that staff are confident about what to do if they were concerned about the actions of a colleague. There are effective recruitment and selection procedures in place to help ensure that those working with children are suitable to do so.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff teaching skills to enable them to consistently provide the highest quality of teaching that builds on what children already know and can do build on the opportunities children have to independently develop their interest in books and early reading.

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