Lakeside Pre-School Wanstead

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders and staff do not consistently identify gaps in children's learning in a timely manner. While there is a tracking system in place, which shows some progression from children's starting points, staff do not identify some gaps or concerns quickly enough. Through the tracking system, staff plan some next steps for children. However, they do not consistently monitor these. This means that some next steps are continued for long periods of time, meaning children do not continue to progress in other areas. Leaders and staff are not consistent with embedding approaches to fully support children's ongoing progress and development.

Leaders ask for support from the local authority when identifying children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and other barriers to their learning. They adopt advice they receive and implement suggested strategies. However, in the interim, there is not consistent support for these children to progress further. Leaders signpost parents through noticeboards and a parent app with updates to local support and workshops in the community.

While the setting does not have children in receipt of additional funding, leaders show some understanding of how to use this effectively to support children with SEND and/or other barriers to their learning. For example, they use funding for resources that are of interest to children.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders have general ambitions for the curriculum. However, they do not ensure that these are fully understood by staff. This leads to inconsistencies in the implementation of the curriculum, which leaders do not have full oversight of. Staff are not entirely confident in knowing what they want children to achieve. Therefore, children are not always able to progress well to the next stages of their learning, including going to school.

Inconsistent interactions between staff and children mean that children form their learning and play ideas predominantly independently. Children engage independently in an alphabet magnet activity. They attempt to identify the letters and sounds. However, without adult support and consistent appropriate interactions, children do not receive support in their learning. As a result, children do not often learn beyond what they already know.

Staff support children's physical development. Children explore a range of outdoor equipment, such as bicycles and scooters. They use these confidently and manoeuvre them in the outdoor space safely. Children identify risks and tell each other to slow down and go in different directions. As a result, children identify and use their gross motor skills and build on their self-awareness. Staff encourage children to use tongs and spoons during snack times to self-serve themselves, which children appropriately handle. This supports children to develop their small-muscle movements.

Children discover a love for books, where they choose books for staff to read throughout the day. Sometimes this is initiated by staff, and other times by children. Children generally show interest in listening to staff read and remain focused. At times, children recall some stories they are familiar with, such as 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. They observe butterflies in the garden and discuss the scenes in the story, alongside staff.

Achievement: Needs attention

While children make some progress from their starting points, they do not progress consistently well, especially to be ready for their next stages of their learning. Children do not always benefit from the mixed-age and -stage groupings, as staff do not differentiate learning. For example, during circle times, children engage all together, taking part in a song-bag activity. Younger children find it difficult to remain focused for longer periods of time and become disruptive. Older children do not receive encouragement to extend their learning, past singing nursery rhymes they already know.

Children build positive relationships with their peers and show a wide imagination in their play. For example, children pretend to be doctors using role-play tools such as stethoscopes. They take turns in being the doctor and patient. Children build their play ideas from each other's experiences and ideas.

Children begin to build on their mathematical knowledge through using shape magnets to identify 2-dimensional shapes, such as 'square' and 'triangle'. Children build structures in small groups using the magnets and discuss among themselves what they intend to make. Children generally take turns well and wait their turn in play, such as by patiently allowing peers to add to the shape they are building.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders and staff show some awareness of the boundaries and expectations of children's behaviour. However, they do not consistently embed these and follow them through. For example, when staff ask children to use 'walking feet', children do not consistently respond well. This is because staff do not consistently remind children of this expectation when they do not comply. As a result, children show confusion about what is expected of them. Furthermore, inconsistencies in managing children's behaviour and expectations mean that children do not always comply with instructions. For example, when children are asked to tidy up, they do not always respond effectively due to staff and leaders not always using role modelling to support their understanding.

Leaders promote the importance of attendance to parents and carers. They monitor children's attendance effectively and identify reasons for absence, complying with their policies and procedures. Parents communicate with leaders, notifying them of absences effectively. They understand the importance of attending the setting for the routine of their children.

Staff actively give positive praise to children when they achieve, such as when sharing toys and mark making pictures. Children respond well to this, creating a sense of self-appreciation and confidence. Staff generally encourage manners during mealtimes, such as by using 'please' and 'thank you', which children typically imitate. As a result, children begin to form respectful relationships with both their peers and staff.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

While there is a key-person system in place, inconsistencies in staffing across the setting impact on children. This means that, at times, children do not have a continuous key person. This affects secure bonds between staff and children. Furthermore, staff do not always have a secure understanding of each child's development. As a result, children do not consistently progress further.

Leaders and staff support children's understanding of the importance of hygiene routines, such as handwashing. Children typically show understanding during this routine by washing their hands independently before mealtimes. However, at times, staff do not encourage the independence of self-care. They do not encourage children to wipe their own noses. As a result, children do not consistently identify their personal needs.

Leaders and staff provide healthy foods for snack time, where children receive a choice of fruits, crackers, vegetables and dips. Children self-serve their snacks with utensils and help each other. They receive encouragement to identify amounts by counting the food, to ensure that they are being fair to their peers, but equally have a substantial portion.

All children, including those with barriers to their learning, generally build relationships with staff. They indicate their needs for comfort and support, when needed. For example, during lunchtime, there are fewer children, so staff give direct attention to them. They discuss the foods children have brought from home and what they taste like. When needing support to open items in their lunch, children indicate this and staff help them effectively. This helps children to build trusting relationships.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders show a general understanding of strengths and areas of improvement for the setting. Leaders also generally take onboard constructive feedback. However, they do not consistently identify the underlying reasons for weaknesses, due to not having a full oversight. This means that improvement is not implemented quickly enough.

Leaders complete supervision sessions for staff, where they discuss their performance, professional development and wellbeing. While these focus on staff's workload and wellbeing, they are not always effective. Leaders ensure that staff complete mandatory and optional training. However, this is not always effectively implemented into practice. The leadership team is relatively new. However, higher management do not regularly give leaders the support required to excel in their role. As a result, oversight of the setting is not consistent, which has an impact on children's learning and development.

Leaders communicate well with outside agencies, such as the local authority. Leaders take on advice to ensure they follow requirements, such as around child-to-staff ratios. Leaders have implemented their own strategies to address this, such as reducing days the setting is open. Although this means that ratios are met, it has not been the most effective strategy to support parents and carers and children's routines.

Leaders and staff communicate with parents via a family app, where they provide general notices and updates about children's development. However, there is a lack of targeted communication, such as at home time. Staff do not fully update parents on their children's day. Parents receive support and are signposted to workshops in the local community through the parent app, if they need support.