Hedgehogs Pre-School at Maryhill

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provider has made significant improvements since the last inspection. Children are warmly welcomed into the pre-school by caring and friendly staff. A wide range of activities are set out for children to explore that ignite their thirst for learning. Children are happy and feel safe and secure. Staff offer cuddles to children who seek out comfort when they are unsure or have tripped over.

Children make their own choices about activities they want to engage in. They enjoy playing in a tray with sand and imitation house bricks. Children use tools to rake, scoop and pour. They are encouraged to test out their own ideas. For example, when a member of staff asks the children who can reach to place the last brick on top of the tower, they investigate which toy digger has a long enough 'scoop' to reach. Children try different toy diggers and work out which one will reach the top.

Children enjoy fresh air outdoors. They practise their developing physical skills while they ride or push tricycles. Children enjoy using their developing small-muscle skills when they persevere in pressing plastic frogs to make them jump through a tray of water.

Children are learning to take turns and be kind to their friends. When children display unwanted behaviour, staff help them to understand and learn what is right or wrong. For example, staff ask children not to throw small blocks because these could hit their friends and hurt them. Overall, children behave well.

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

• The provider has implemented an extensive programme of support and training for staff, including safeguarding and behaviour management training. Further training is scheduled to support staff to continue to maintain and further improve practice.
• All staff are involved with implementing an action plan to ensure the required improvements, following the last inspection, are met. Staff comment that they feel well supported and staff morale is now high.
• The provider demonstrates due diligence in ensuring records are kept for the safe and efficient management of the pre-school. She ensures accurate registers and planning for the number of children attending, to maintain staff-to-child ratios. The provider completes risk assessments to ensure children's safety. When an incident occurs that could present as a risk to children, she reflects, investigates and removes any items that may pose a risk.
• Parent partnerships are good. Parents comment that they are happy with the nursery and that staff are friendly and really care about their children. They especially like the information that staff share about their children's progress, and the activities, which are sent home with the children, to support them in their learning.
• Children are developing the skills to be independent. They are encouraged to put their own coats on, take them off and find their own pegs. Staff teach children the importance of being healthy. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before eating and after playing outside. Children benefit from healthy snacks that staff provide.
• The key-person system is effective and staff know their key children well. They plan activities for the children based on their current interests. However, on occasion, these activities do not sustain children's interest successfully or meet their next steps in learning precisely. The continuous provision does not consistently provide opportunities for children to extend their learning. This results in children leaving activities, or some not accessing them.
• Children enjoy group circle time and listening to familiar stories. When staff read a story about a hungry caterpillar, they talk about what is happening. To make the activity interactive, staff give children laminated illustrations from the story. However, the less confident children do not always get the picture they want because the more confident children get it first.
• Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They share information effectively with external agencies and other professionals involved in children's care. Staff work to targets to ensure children progress. They support parents in the referral process, provide reports and attend forum meetings. This ensures consistency so children make the best possible progress.
• The provider and her staff are to receive training on a local initiative to help to support and extend children's communication skills. Staff ensure children have appropriate time to respond to questions. They ask open-ended questions, which make children think and respond in sentences. Staff support children who speak English as an additional language.
• Staff complete accurate assessments on children's progress, which are monitored by the provider. This helps to identify any gaps in learning and put appropriate support in place. Children learn the skills required for their next stage in learning and eventual move to school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• evaluate the continuous provision to ensure all children are consistently engaged in purposeful play
• plan activities linked to children's next steps more precisely so that children make the best possible progress
• consider how to support children with less confidence to help them to be more confident with other children and in group activities, specifically where other children in the group have high levels of confidence.