St Giles Preschool

Inclusion: Needs attention

Leaders do not always ensure that staff complete assessments quickly enough to identify all the additional support a child may need for speech and language development. While some personalised interventions are in place to support children to make progress, there are delays in early help being sought. This means that not all children make the swift progress they are capable of. In addition, communication between staff is not always effective. For example, newer staff with key-person responsibilities are not always fully informed about the support already in place. This causes further delays to early help being sought for some children.

Leaders have a clear understanding of how they would support any children who receive additional funding. For example, they would work with key persons and parents to identify how to make the best use of additional funding for specific children to help them make progress.

Leaders and staff value children's home language. They work closely with parents to help support children to settle quickly and gain confidence at the pre-school. This quickly reduces any barriers to children's learning, ensuring they have access to an inclusive learning environment.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders work with staff to identify the most important areas of learning for the children in their care. They have developed a broad curriculum based on children's interests, with appropriate next steps typically embedded within children's play.

Leaders and staff provide a well-considered learning environment within the pre-school. Children benefit from a balance of child-led play and adult-initiated activities indoors and outdoors. Staff know each child's level of ability and adapt their teaching accordingly. For example, children attempt to count as they play with pom-poms. When children count incorrectly, staff gently help them count again to determine the correct number. Staff extend this learning and encourage children to compare the different colours and size of the pumpkins. Children show interest as staff point out the differing patterns on the vegetables. This helps children develop early mathematical skills.

Staff use circle time to help children develop their early social skills. They listen carefully as staff tell them about all the exciting activities that are available for them. Children confidently suggest ideas of what they can do during the activities. Typically, this helps children to develop their conversational skills and positively interact with others.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children make progress from their starting points, including those with special educational needs and those who face other barriers to learning. Overall, children are ready for their next learning stage, including the transition on to school. They develop confidence and independence as they take responsibility for simple tasks, including serving themselves food at snack time and managing simple personal-care routines. As a result, children gain the skills they need for future learning.

Children benefit from the abundance of books thoughtfully placed across the pre-school. They politely ask staff to read to them, listening intently as staff show them pictures of the different types of animals that live in and around ponds. Others remain deeply focused as they mix ingredients to make potions. They smell the ingredients and laugh as they notice mint smells, like their toothpaste. They confidently tell staff they are making banana cake for dinner and are mixing in mint to make it 'spicy.' Typically, this helps children develop their growing language and communication skills.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders and staff do not yet fully understand the needs of all children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, some adaptations made to help children take part in the setting's daily routines are not always appropriate or designed with children's best interests in mind. This can negatively affect those children.

Children are encouraged to behave well and learn to cooperate. Staff use praise and role-model expectations to encourage children to share, take turns and play safely. They encourage children to take part in group activities such as story time. Children sit and listen intently, guessing where the cat may be hiding and what the characters are feeling. Overall, children benefit from an established routine which they actively take part in. For example, during snack time, children are supported to pour drinks and chop their own fruit. They help tidy away resources and older children show kindness as they help newer children put toys away in the correct place. Children beam with pride as they receive praise for doing as much for themselves as possible. This helps children gain confidence in their environment.

Leaders routinely monitor attendance, ensuring that any absences are checked to keep children safe. Staff work with parents to help them understand the importance of regular attendance and how it may affect their child's development.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children settle quickly with their chosen activity. Even children who have recently started attending the pre-school are becoming increasingly confident and independent in their surroundings.

Leaders understand the importance of supporting all children's health and wellbeing. Children thoroughly enjoy the multiple opportunities they have to play outdoors. They stretch their arm and leg muscles as staff safely supervise them as they climb steps to access large climbing equipment. Children are provided with nutritious snacks and fresh drinking water, and leaders work with parents to ensure lunch boxes include healthy options. Staff understand how to create a calm, comfortable environment for children who need to rest. They recognise the importance of regularly checking that children remain safe while sleeping. Staff teach children about developing healthy habits. Children eat nutritious snacks and have access to fresh drinking water. Leaders work with parents to encourage healthy choices in children's lunch boxes.

Children are developing good hygiene practices and basic self-care skills, such as washing their hands after messy play, before meals and after they have wiped their nose. Staff provide motivation and support to those children who are learning to use the potty. Children smile with pride as they receive praise for their efforts. Staff encourage children to play safely. For example, children know they must follow the yellow lines carefully as they walk across the car park to access the outdoor play area.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Leaders recognise they need to take a more robust oversight of the setting's assessment processes. This is to ensure that all early concerns about children's development are swiftly assessed and early help is sought in a timely manner. In addition, leaders do not consistently ensure that adaptations for some children are well thought out. This results in adaptations being made which are not well matched to children's needs. There have been some recent changes to the staff team and leaders acknowledge that there are areas for improvement across the setting, particularly regarding effective information sharing about key children.

Leaders consider staff's wellbeing and workload in their decision-making, ensuring that support is available when needed and expectations are realistic. This helps to maintain a safe and positive environment for everyone. Staff say they enjoy working at the setting and leaders are supportive. Leaders ensure regular team staff appraisals and dedicated time for training occurs to enhance staff practice further.

Leaders and staff develop positive relationships with parents and carers. They use a variety of ways to engage parents in supporting their child's next steps and to understand their child's developmental stage. Parents say that staff provide ideas to help their children make progress at home. They say their children are developing their social skills and have settled well at the setting.