Outwood Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children look forward to attending this warm and welcoming pre-school. They happily separate from their parents and carers on arrival and quickly become busy playing and exploring the learning environment.

Children concentrate well as they engage in their play with friends or independently. Their learning is supported well, overall, by staff, who play alongside or with the children. Children play well together. For example, they work together to build a tower out of large blocks. Children are familiar with the daily routines of the pre-school. For instance, they help to tidy up at the end of the session and quickly settle down for group time.

Children take part in activities and experiences based around themes and topics that staff want them to know more about. For instance, children listen to stories and songs about farm animals. They take part in creative activities to make models of these animals. Staff consider children's previous experiences and aim to build on these as they support children to grow their skills and knowledge.

Leaders and staff think about ways to prepare children for the next stage in their education. For example, children build their small-muscle skills as they practise threading beads onto string. They help to make papier mâché models with pieces of newspaper and balloons. These experiences help children to strengthen their hands and fingers in preparation for learning how to hold a pencil and write.

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

• Parents speak highly of the leaders and staff. They say that staff are nurturing and provide a friendly and homely environment for their children. Leaders and staff build good relationships with parents. As a result, parents know what their children are learning and their next steps in development.
• Staff use a social media page to share ideas of how parents can further support their children's learning. They seek information from parents about children's interests and their development at home. This supports leaders and staff to plan appropriately for children's learning.
• Children enjoy daily opportunities to listen to stories. Staff help children to learn action songs and rhymes. Children develop their listening and attention skills as they excitedly join in with these familiar songs and stories. Furthermore, these experiences help children to develop their language skills and learn new words. However, on some occasions, more-confident children dominate story and rhyme sessions. Staff do not consistently ensure that children who are quiet or less confident receive opportunities to talk or share their ideas during group time.
• Staff support children to learn good health and hygiene routines. They talk to children about good handwashing techniques as they wash their hands before snack time. Staff invite children to brush their teeth as part of the session. They serve healthy snacks and drinks and ensure that fresh drinking water is available for children. Staff ensure that children receive daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise as they play outside. These opportunities help to support children's good health and well-being.
• Staff give regular rule reminders to children. For example, they gently remind children not to run inside of the pre-school. Staff talk to children about sharing toys and waiting for their turn. This helps children to understand the rules and what staff expect of their behaviour. However, staff do not always explain to children the impact of their behaviour. This does not support children's understanding of how their actions can affect other's feelings and emotions.
• Leaders and staff liaise with the local authority and external professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders use additional funding to ensure that children with SEND receive one-to-one care. This supports children to work towards their development goals.
• The nominated individual, who is also the manager, has worked closely with a local authority adviser to make improvements since the previous inspection. This has helped to raise the quality of care and education in the pre-school to a good level.
• Staff carry out peer observations on each other's practice. They take part in regular supervision sessions and appraisals with the manager. However, the manager does not consistently observe and monitor staff practice in a precise way to inform her ongoing evaluation of the pre-school. This does not support the manager to identify future areas for development.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• develop strategies to support quieter and less-confident children to grow their language and communication skills
• support children to further develop their understanding of the impact of their behaviour and actions on others' feelings and emotions
• strengthen the monitoring of staff practice, to inform evaluations of the pre-school and identify targeted areas for development to raise the quality of education to even higher levels.