St. John's C.E Preschool Ltd

Inclusion: Needs attention

Due to changes in the staffing team, leaders and practitioners are working closely with parents to identify the emerging needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to learning. For example, practitioners plan one-to-one activities to support children's language and communication development. However, the provider has not ensured that practitioners have received suitable training and support to implement appropriate strategies for learning. This means that some children may not receive the right support they need to make progress.

Leaders and practitioners promote an inclusive learning environment for children and their families. Children wear their uniform, which helps them to have a sense of belonging of the wider school. Leaders have a secure understanding of the funding available, and how this can be used appropriately to further support children.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

The curriculum is in its infancy due to the changes in management, and the new staff team. Leaders are in the early stages of identifying the improvements needed in teaching and assessment. There are plans in place to bring about the improvements needed to ensure teaching consistently builds children's knowledge, skills and confidence, but these are still at an early stage.

Leaders have a clear vision of what they want children to learn. This ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face other barriers to learning have full access to the curriculum on offer. For example, when outside, children are supported to put on their superhero costumes and engage in imaginative play. Play dough and large chalks are provided to help children develop their physical skills. However, the curriculum design and assessment do not always focus on children's individual needs and their next steps in their learning. For example, on some occasions, adult-led activities are not differentiated for the younger children. This means that they are not engaged in purposeful learning. Furthermore, the curriculum for mathematics is not well planned, this means that children are not developing their early mathematical skills and knowledge.

Overall, practitioners support children's communication and language skills effectively. For example, children learn the names of sea life creatures, such as octopus and turtle. Children enjoy stories and rhymes. However, at times, practitioners do not build in sufficient time for children to respond to questions and process information before moving on in the discussion. This means that some children become disengaged in their learning.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children, including those with with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to learning, generally enjoy the learning the learning environment available to them. However, the progress they make is variable. At times, children's learning is incidental, rather than purposeful. This impacts on how effectively they build skills and knowledge over time. Furthermore, children are not supported to develop appropriate independence skills, such as personal care routines. This means that children are not prepared as well as possible for the next stage of their learning, including school.

Children show that they are confident and secure in their learning environment. They have adapted well to the changes in staffing and the introduction of new routines. They are proud to show the visitors and friends the stickers they have been awarded for their hard work.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders and practitioners set age-appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. Practitioners respond positively to incidents of poor behaviour. They get down at children's level to explain why their behaviour was not appropriate. However, they do not routinely teach children about their feelings and emotions. This means that some children are not supported to regulate their behaviour.

Practitioners teach children to be kind and considerate of others and to follow simple rules, such as using 'kind hands' and words. At circle time, practitioners remind children of their golden rules. They use visual representations to help support those children with barriers to learning. Practitioners are beginning to implement strategies to help children to learn the routines of the setting. For example, children are given a 5-minute warning for tidy-up time. When the tidy-up song is played, some children help to tidy away their toys and resources. However, the weakness in teaching children this routine means that some children are not able to follow what is expected of them, which results in some disruptive behaviour.

In such a short time, it is evident that leaders and practitioners have developed positive relationships with children. Children show that they feel comfortable to ask for help and seek out comfort from practitioners when needed. Leaders have processes in place to follow up on children's absences. This helps to set good habits for future learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Leaders and practitioners do not consistently promote healthy lifestyles. For example, they do not always include parents well enough in their aims to promote healthy eating. Children do not learn about which food and drinks support their physical health and development. Furthermore, children are not always supervised when eating and leave the table with food in their mouths. That said, practitioners teach children hygiene routines. For example, they are reminded to wash their hands after going to the bathroom and when wiping their nose.

The newly appointed leadership team has created a welcoming space, where children typically enjoy play, both indoors and outdoors. Children benefit from daily outdoor play to help them develop their physical skills. Each child is allocated a key person. Practitioners are developing their knowledge of the children and their families to help meet their individual needs.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

There have been significant changes to the leadership and staffing arrangements of the setting since the last inspection. These changes, in a short space of time, mean that the leadership team is not yet established. Senior leaders have a broad awareness of the setting's strengths and areas for development. However, they had not identified the weakness in the teaching of the curriculum. This is because systems for regular staff supervision and continuous professional development are not yet embedded. Additionally, there are not sufficiently secure systems in place to closely monitor staff practice to identify gaps in teaching and drive improvement.

The newly appointed leaders demonstrate a commitment to offering high-quality education and care for all children and to make decisions with the best interests of children in mind. They have developed positive relationships with parents. This provides consistent support and shared understanding, which helps children to feel secure.