Old Court Community Pre-school

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager and staff cheerfully greet each family at the gates as the day begins. Older children eagerly enter to explore the garden. They enjoy using the many resources or trampling in the frosty ground. The manager supports the youngest children to develop secure attachments by welcoming parents to stay until children are familiar in their new environment. This ensures children get the best start possible to their time at the setting.

Children enjoy a busy day and demonstrate security within many of the familiar routines. They play with dinosaurs in the sand tray, fill containers with pasta, use play dough and explore ways to create hearts through paint, stickers and shaving foam. Adults use books and model new knowledge as they seamlessly tie learning together.

Staff support children to understand emotions through adult-led activities. They interweave new knowledge into the children's own play, such as encouraging a large group of boys to mark make on clipboards when playing with cars. Children are calm as they play and benefit from the interactions of adults around them. Over lunch, children talk enthusiastically about the activities they have carried out in the morning and explain how they made hearts for Valentine's Day.

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

• Committee members with governance roles do not complete the necessary paperwork within the required timeframe to allow Ofsted to undertake suitability checks. However, there is no impact on children, as these adults do not work within the setting and do not have access to staff's or children's personal documentation. The setting manager has clear oversight for staff and works to support the committee in notifying Ofsted of changes.
• The manager is passionate in her drive for high-quality care and education for children. She is well respected by her staff team and supports them to balance their own well-being while carefully planning for ongoing training and development.
• The manager supports staff to build a clear, and progressive curriculum. For example, staff support the youngest children to wait and take turns to go on the bicycles in the outdoor area. Older children invite friends to sit next to them and point out who should have the next turn in a game. Together, staff focus on promoting children's personal and social, communication and language and physical skills over time. This is evident throughout the setting.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a strong grasp of the needs of children within the setting. She supports families and children by making connections with external agencies and swiftly making appropriate referrals. Children benefit from her knowledge and skilful interactions. Some enjoy a regular 'bucket time' activity that enables them to sustain a high level of engagement and focus their attention for an extended period.
• Overall, children behave well. Staff support them effectively with good interactions and a range of visual timetables to make clear the structure of the day. This supports children in feeling secure and to regulate their behaviour appropriately. However, there are a few short periods within the day where transitions between activities are not as smooth as they might be, such as when larger groups of children return from washing hands in the bathroom or putting away their coats. On these occasions, children charge back to their respective rooms with heightened energy levels and lack clear direction from staff.
• Children learn to develop independence and resilience in their everyday activities. For example, staff provide younger children with support to persevere when they fit pieces into a puzzle or learn to get their coat on. Older children independently comment that the pasta needs tidying on the floor and set about doing this. They also collect tissues to clean their nose without adult reminders. Children thrive from the positive expectations and encouraging sense of challenge from staff.
• Parents are positive about the care and education their children receive each day. They comment on the regular updates that staff provide through online applications, discussions and messages.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider must:

• ensure all trustees and committee members provide Ofsted with the appropriate paperwork for suitability checks to be carried out within the correct timeframe. (by 31 March 2023)

The provider should:

• improve transitions for groups of children returning to rooms following everyday care routines and tasks so that children are quickly re-engaged in purposeful play and learning.