Little Melton Preschool Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff ensure that children are warmly greeted on their arrival at pre-school. They show genuine enthusiasm for celebrating children's new interests and experiences at home and other settings. These interactions help children to feel valued and ensure that they settle well into each session. Staff thoughtfully prepare a stimulating and spacious learning environment, which children are keen to explore. For example, staff inspire children to use the pegboards to apply what they know about patterns and numbers. They encourage children to strengthen the connections they make in their mathematical knowledge. For example, children work out simple addition tasks and identify the numbers that represent their age.

Staff foster children's independence. They ensure that children can easily access their belongings and the resources they need for self-care routines. As a result, children manage tasks, such as washing hands and wiping noses, with minimal support. Staff model positive behaviour and expectations for children. They help children to understand the importance of following instructions to keep safe. For example, children know that if all the wristbands are already in use, they will need to wait for their turn to go on the climbing frame.

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

• Since the last inspection, the provider has improved their oversight of the pre-school. This helps to ensure a consistent, good-quality and effectively led early years provision. Robust arrangements are now in place to ensure that new committee members are notified to Ofsted so that the necessary checks can be completed. This helps to ensure children's safety.
• The curriculum is well understood by staff. Activities are carefully planned and adapted to build on children's current level of development and what they need to learn next. For example, children have opportunities to develop the muscles and coordination they need before moving on to using scissors. This helps to ensure that children make good progress and are well prepared for the next stage of their education and eventual move to school.
• Staff work in close partnership with parents and other professionals. Parents value the advice and expertise provided by the staff, particularly when their children are ready to learn to use the toilet. Staff support their key children to follow toileting routines, which are consistent with their experiences at home, and ensure that children are praised for every attempt they make. This helps children to feel at ease and motivated while they are learning this important skill.
• There is a strong focus on supporting children to become confident communicators. For example, staff sit with children at lunchtime and join in with children's conversations. They skilfully ask questions to extend children's responses and make sure that less-confident children are encouraged to contribute. Children often continue these conversations among themselves and chat freely about similar themes.
• Staff communicate well with parents to gather information about children's lived experiences outside of the pre-school. They use this information to plan opportunities that promote children's emotional well-being. For example, staff help children to prepare for the arrival of a new sibling in their family. They involve children in imaginative play with dolls and support children to adapt to the changes at home.
• Children have good opportunities to exercise and develop their physical skills. For example, children strengthen their large muscles as they access the indoor climbing frame and engage in running activities on the nearby field. There are plans to develop the pre-school's outdoor provision. However, the curriculum does not yet maximise opportunities for all children, including those who prefer to learn outdoors, to benefit from a wider range of outdoor learning experiences.
• The supportive committee works closely with the manager to promote opportunities for staff to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff benefit from regular supervision meetings to reflect on their practice and make plans to improve the provision. For example, staff purposefully review the learning environment and offer more activities at ground level to better meet the learning styles of two-year-old children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• enhance opportunities for all children, including those who prefer to learn outdoors, to access a wider range of outdoor learning experiences that cover all areas of learning.