Elworth Pre-School Group

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders ensure robust settling-in procedures are in place to allow staff to work with parents to understand children's individual starting points. Staff differentiate activities based on children's individual starting points by adapting their interactions with the children. Leaders are proactive in ensuring all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported effectively. This enables them to access the full curriculum. Staff are proactive in implementing highly effective strategies that support children to make the best possible progress. For example, additional staff are deployed to provide one-to-one support where needed. Attendance arrangements are sensitively adapted so children can settle gradually, increasing their time as their confidence grows. Some children attend more frequently to promote consistency and familiarity.

Staff engage in ongoing professional development to strengthen their practice. For example, recent training has enhanced their skills in supporting children to regulate their emotions and communicate confidently.

Leaders work closely with staff and families to monitor children's progress. They ensure additional funding is used effectively and has clear impact. For example, they have employed additional staff, whose dedicated role is to provide one-to-one support for children who need this most. Leaders guide parents through funding processes and collaborate with them and key persons to identify emerging needs and review next steps. This shared understanding informs the purchase of targeted resources for use both in the setting and at home, reinforcing learning across environments. This consistent approach successfully removes barriers and promotes positive outcomes for all children.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and staff create a curriculum that is clear and ambitious for all children. Leaders effectively identify training to further enhance learning opportunities for children. For example, staff have recently introduced Makaton signs alongside language to promote all types of communication. Staff introduce strategies, such as a traffic light system in support of a visual timetable to help children understand and anticipate what will happen next. This approach supports children to remain engaged and focused in their play and learning. Children experiment and freely explore their exciting learning environment. They show confidence and readiness to learn.

Overall, staff demonstrate a secure understanding of routines and make teaching purposeful and effective. They deliver a curriculum that supports all areas of learning. The key-person system enables accurate and ongoing assessments of children's learning and development. They share information with parents daily through an online app and during parent meetings. This help parents to extend learning at home and further strengthen their child's development. Staff plan purposeful activities that prepare children well for the next stage of learning. During a mathematics activity on counting and adding one more, staff adjust their approach to meet children's differing stages of development. Older children model expectations for younger children. However, on some occasions, staff do not use opportunities to challenge or extend children's learning further.

Achievement: Strong standard

All children make secure progress through the curriculum from their individual starting points. Children gain the skills they need to be ready for the move to school. For example, they strengthen fine motor skills during water play as they pour and mix 'Christmas potions' using pipettes. Children help to make play dough and confidently use scissors to snip the dough. These activities help to strengthen hand muscles to support control and develop independence in tasks, such as using cutlery and securing coat fastenings.

Children are confident to talk and demonstrate resilience and a 'can-do' attitude. They persevere to resolve problems as they play, such as working out how to fit different shaped blocks to put them into slots on a bucket. They gain a wide vocabulary, learning and understanding words, such as 'camouflage', as they play. Children learn about mathematical concepts. They enjoy building with magnetic blocks and consider how to make their creation longer and accurately compare the size of the blocks.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children generally behave well. They form positive relationships with their key person and check in at regular intervals. Staff encourage them to take turns and share during play. Older children often invite younger children to have a turn, saying, 'You can have a turn now, I've finished.' However, on some occasions staff do not always reinforce high expectations for behaviour consistently. For example, at times, the environment becomes untidy and disorganised as children move quickly between activities, leaving resources on the floor. This sometimes limits children's opportunities to develop respect for their environment.

Staff have a good understanding of children's individual needs. They model expectations and encourage children to develop their social skills. For example, children engage in turn-taking games to learn to play cooperatively with others. Staff make purposeful adaptations to the environments, such as the mud kitchen, to allow for more children to play alongside each other. These improvements support shared play. This helps children feel settled, secure and confident in the environment, enabling them to achieve, belong and thrive.

Leaders and staff work closely with parents to promote good attendance and punctuality. They use effective systems to monitor attendance and respond promptly when children do not arrive. Staff carry out wellbeing checks to encourage regular participation.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children enjoy outdoor play. They confidently explore the garden spaces and engage in activities to develop their physical skills. Children play football, practise their bat and ball skills and roll tyres around, navigating the spaces carefully. Staff set up a shopping centre in the play shed, enabling children to recreate familiar experiences. Staff talk with children about healthy lifestyles and encourage positive choices, such as selecting healthy foods. They use stories and everyday interactions to help children to talk about and understand their emotions. Staff take a proactive approach to promoting children's health and wellbeing. This helps children to understand and manage their emotions.

Children show growing independence in personal care. They wipe their nose and wash their hands when prompted, reinforcing healthy habits and age-appropriate self-care. Children feel safe and secure. Robust settling-in sessions and early baseline assessments help staff understand each child's needs. Staff provide targeted one-to-one support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, enabling all children to explore with confidence.

Children understand routines and safety measures, including putting on coats and gloves before going outside. They independently access spare items, such as hats, when needed so they stay warm. Staff remind children to stay hydrated and promote self-care. Leaders work closely with parents and share information on topics, such as nutrition and healthy packed lunches to continue supporting these processes at home.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders have failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the committee members as required. Although they have systems in place to ensure committee members' ongoing suitability checks are in place. Due to ongoing administrative pressures, some existing committee members have not yet provided the required information. These members do not have direct contact with children, therefore, this does not impact on children's safety or welfare.

Leaders are committed to giving all children the strongest possible start. They regularly reflect on practice and use this to identify clear professional development priorities. Staff feel well supported and take part in regular supervision sessions. They access a wide range of training to support their ongoing development. Alongside mandatory safeguarding and paediatric first-aid training, staff complete targeted courses based on children's needs. For example, recent training has strengthened staff skills in supporting children to regulate their emotions and in enhancing communication and language through high-quality interactions.

Partnerships with parents are effective. Leaders and staff keep them well informed about children's learning. Leaders use additional funding well to support the specific needs of children who receive it, such as providing resources that promote turn-taking and social interaction Leaders share regular updates through newsletters and online platforms, so parents understand children's progress and experiences.