Abbots Langley Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Some improvement to the way that staff engage with children has been made since the last inspection. However, the quality of teaching is not consistently good. Nevertheless, children settle in securely and show that they feel safe at pre-school.

They learn to make friends and play with each other and follow the positive example of staff. Children develop some worthwhile skills. For example, they use their physical skills to balance on stilts and to climb and slide on play equipment.

They sing familiar songs and listen to stories read by staff in a lively voice.Staff engagement with children has improved. They speak with a...nd listen to children, read stories and discuss things that they see and experience around them.

However, staff are unclear about what children need to learn next to make good progress, so do not shape activities to support children's next steps in learning. Some intentions for learning are too broad and not focused on secure knowledge of each child's individual needs. Additionally, the outdoor environment is not well used.

Some outdoor activities are not well resourced. For example, when children find paintbrushes outdoors, there is no water or paint for them to make marks with.

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

The manager is ambitious about the future for the pre-school, but also recognises the work still left to do to embed improvements.

Since the last inspection, she has focused on ensuring children's safety and well-being. Children now benefit from the care of a consistent staff team. However, the quality of education continues to be a significant area for development.

Nevertheless, the manager's plans for improvement are promising. She uses regular reflection times to help identify areas for development. Staff benefit from thorough induction and regular supervision opportunities.

They say that they feel happy to work at the pre-school, feel supported and are enthusiastic about their work.The manager works closely with outside professionals to gain support for any child with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The manager also works closely with the parents of children with SEND.

The manager has worked hard to make closer links with all parents. Parents praise how well their children have settled in and report that their children are happy to come to pre-school. Staff give feedback to parents every day and make sure that they share information about children's experiences at pre-school.

The manager is beginning to implement a curriculum that supports all children to make progress. While the manager focuses on particular areas of learning, such as supporting children's language development and their personal, social and emotional development, other staff are not as sure what the intentions are for all children's learning. This means that some of their interactions with children lack focus.

Staff do not always present information clearly to children and some children are not clear about what they are meant to do during an activity. For example, staff sing a welcome song, but children do not know when to sing their name. Children are invited to draw their own faces after looking in a mirror, but this is too advanced for some children and not advanced enough for others.

Children lose interest. At other times, when children are more engaged in their chosen play, staff interrupt them, for example, by inviting children to line up to move to another area. This disrupts children's concentration unnecessarily.

The key-person system has improved since the last inspection. Children seek support from familiar adults, and any child who becomes upset is treated warmly and comforted. Staff are working hard to support children's independence skills.

They show them how to put their own coats on to go outside, and work with parents to support toilet training. Children are beginning to be more independent in their play, in readiness for the next stage of learning, such as the move to school.Staff's understanding of how children learn to manage their own behaviour is much improved and, as a result, any challenging behaviour is managed appropriately.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager has made significant improvements in the quality of safeguarding since the last inspection. All staff and managers have attended targeted training and know what steps to take to identify, respond to, and refer any signs for concern about children or adults at the pre-school.

They know the action to take to seek advice and support from relevant outside agencies, and to act without delay to protect children in their care.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that staff understand how to manage transitions between activities and experiences to prevent unnecessary disruption to children's learning 30/09/2022 improve staff understanding of curriculum intentions to enable them to focus specifically on what children need to learn next, to ensure that activities are suitability challenging for all children.30/09/2022 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop further the outdoor learning environment and opportunities for learning to increase the range of learning experiences for all children, especially those who prefer to learn outdoors.

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