Gosforth Preschool

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders swiftly and accurately identify any emerging needs or barriers that children may have. They are committed in their partnership working with parents and other agencies. This ensures that all children make rapid progress and receive the support that reflects their changing needs. Leaders establish a very inclusive culture within the setting. They use their robust assessments on children, to enable early identification of children who may need additional support. Leaders are proactive in removing barriers to learning by providing individual learning plans and resources to meet children's needs. For example, children have access to a quiet, cosy space with lights and textures to meet their sensory needs.

Leaders and staff know their children considerably well and have a meticulous understanding of their individual personalities, interests, needs and stages of development. They foster extremely positive relationships with families and are aware of significant changes that may occur in children's home lives. This enables staff to provide comprehensive and timely support, reassurance, and consistency, helping children to feel safe, secure and valued.

Leaders ensure that additional funding is used effectively and appropriately to meet the individual needs of children. Funding is carefully allocated to provide targeted support, including one-to-one interventions, additional sessions, and specialised resources where required.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders develop a broad curriculum which covers all areas of learning. This generally helps all children to build on their knowledge. Staff understand what children can already do and use their assessments of children's abilities to focus on children's next steps. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported. Staff develop successful care plans which supports their individual needs.

Overall, teaching is effective and staff understand how children learn. They plan a wide range of activities to support children's learning, as well as facilitating child-led play. Staff do not consistently support children to extend their knowledge and skills as they play. For example, children delight as they experiment by mixing different coloured paints together and they confidently name the new colours they have made. While staff acknowledge this, they do not help children to extend their knowledge further.

Staff read stories clearly. Children are learning to do things for themselves, such as fetching their own hats, putting rubbish in the bin, and going to the toilet. This helps to develop their independence skills. Children have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills outside as they use their arm muscles to dig in the sand and leg muscles to push themselves along on the tricycles.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children progress well in their development. They are ready for the next stage in their learning. Children develop a love of books. For example, they enjoy looking at books independently, as well as taking part in story-time sessions. Children listen attentively to stories and are able to sit and focus with their peers. They enjoy taking part in focused small-group activities. Children develop dexterity in their fingers, as they use tweezers to carefully pick up toy animals out of a basket. At times, children require consistent support to help extend their knowledge and skills even further as they play.

Children are well prepared for transitions between rooms and for moving on to the onsite school. For example, they are offered additional visits to their new room or school environment, allowing them to become familiar with new routines, adults, and surroundings. Children learn to recognise and celebrate similarities and differences between themselves and others. They develop early mathematical skills, such as counting, understanding size, and using positional language. During story time, children receive support to count on their fingers as they join in with the story, helping them to make connections between numbers and quantities.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders and staff generally have high expectations for children. When staff notice minor disputes between children, they swiftly intervene and encourage and support children to play together and share. This helps to develop children's social skills and their understanding of how to have positive relationships with others. Occasionally, staff do not support children to follow through with expectations within daily routines. For example, during tidy-up time, some children require more support from staff to learn how to put away resources. This does not help children fully understand what is expected of them.

Leaders are proactive around children's attendance and share with parents the importance of children attending regularly. This helps all children in preparation for their move on to school. Staff work hard to develop positive relationships with the children in their care. This helps children to settle quickly. Staff take into account children's individual needs during transitions and make adaptations as required.

Children thoroughly enjoy larger group times with staff and actively engage in a range of interesting learning experiences. For example, toddlers listen attentively to staff as they talk to them about different types of hairstyles and eye colours. Children are keen to participate, share their ideas, and talk about their own features. This helps to develop their communication skills, self-awareness, and understanding of diversity.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff support children to develop good hygiene practice and independence. They encourage handwashing before meals and after using the toilet. Staff support children to access the toilet when needed. This promotes children's self-care skills. Staff generally provide children with some opportunities to learn about healthy eating. Children bring in packed lunches from home. Staff occasionally share some information and guidance to parents about the healthy meals they should provide as part of their child's packed lunch. They do not consistently ensure that this advice is being implemented by parents. This does not fully promote children's health.

Children have warm, positive relationships with their key person and form secure attachments. Staff are responsive to children's individual needs and they provide warm care to them. This helps all children to feel safe, valued, and emotionally secure. Leaders and staff value outdoor learning and ensure that children have opportunities to explore the outdoor environment throughout the day. Children are provided with a safe and calm area to sleep. Staff check on children regularly while they sleep. They work in partnership with parents to meet children's individual sleep requirements, promoting their wellbeing and comfort.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders and staff communicate regularly with parents both verbally and using an online app. They provide ideas on how parents can continue their child's learning at home. For example, staff send home resources and activities that parents can use to help develop their child's speech. Parents speak positively about the provision and care their children receive. Parents value the partnerships with staff, effective communication, and the nurturing environment.

Staff share that the regular check-ins they have with leaders help to promote their wellbeing. Leaders support staff's practice through regular meetings, peer-on-peer observations and staff appraisals. This includes staff having time to access relevant training opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. Leaders have an understanding of how they can support staff's teaching practice. There is scope to enhance this, to help staff to extend children's knowledge and skills further as they play.

Leaders are reflective and continually evaluate the provision to help enhance children's experiences further. For example, they have reviewed snack-time arrangements to help develop children's social skills even further. Leaders and staff are starting to work on how to strengthen their curriculum on healthy lifestyles. They work effectively with the local school to support children through key transitions. Leaders communicate well, which ensures that information about each child's individual needs are understood by the new setting. Children benefit from planned visits and familiarisation sessions, which gives them opportunities to meet new adults and explore their new environment.