Alderley Edge Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for every child. Children enjoy pretending to be pirates. Staff extend children's learning as they encourage them to make telescopes.

Children are motivated and eager to join in because activities and experiences build on children's unique interests.Children feel emotionally safe and secure. They behave well and play cooperatively together with their friends.

Staff support children effectively to develop their language skills. For example, during role-play activities, children use words such as 'stethoscope' and explain what items are used for. Children enjoy listening to their favourite st...ories.

Staff use props and encourage children to act out parts of the story to hold children's interest. For instance, they stomp and squelch through the mud as they go on a bear hunt. Children also take home the pre-school bear, and staff encourage children to share a bedtime story with him.

This helps children to develop a love of reading in the setting and at home.Staff use good strategies to support children's early writing skills. For example, they encourage children to write their names on their drawings.

Children sound out the letters in their name and staff support them to form the letters correctly. Children explore mathematical concepts as they count how many conker shells they can find. Staff encourage them to think about how many more they will need to make ten.

These skills help prepare children for the next stages in their learning, including when they go to school.

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

Children's emotional development is supported extremely well. Staff use various props, such as 'Monkey Bob' and the 'worry monster', for children to talk to about their feelings and emotions.

Children also engage in yoga activities to help them feel calm and relaxed. Staff use various strategies to promote children's positive behaviour. For example, they use certificates and stickers to reinforce what children do well, such as sharing their toys with others.

As a result, children's behaviour is good and they play cooperatively together.Leaders and managers regularly evaluate the setting and identify any areas for improvement based on their discussions with children and parents. For example, leaders provided an outdoor shelter to extend children's experiences in the woodland area.

The manager creates action plans to ensure a continued cycle of improvement and aims to further develop the outdoor space.Leaders and staff have high expectations for all children. They provide a wide range of activities that encourage learning in all areas of development.

Staff regularly observe children and use these observations to follow children's lead and their interests. Staff identify areas of provision that require development.For example, staff introduced a computer station to support children's understanding of the technological world around them.

Parent partnerships are effectively supported. Staff begin to build positive relationships and gather information on children's starting points during home visits before children attend. Parents and staff share information electronically.

This helps to ensure consistency of care for children. In addition, parents are represented on the pre-school committee and help shape the service provided by the pre-school. Parents speak very highly of the pre-school and say their children enjoy attending.

Staff support children's understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle. Staff provide children with a healthy range of meals and snacks. Children have regular access to the outdoors.

They also engage in regular physical activities. Staff support children's understanding of the effects these activities can have on their bodies.Staff encourage children to chop fruit and pour their own drinks during snack time.

Children also wash their dishes afterwards. Children make choices and direct their own play and learning. This helps to support their growing independence and gives them confidence in their own abilities.

In the main, children are happy and safe. Staff conduct risk assessments on all areas used by the children. They involve children in identifying hazards in their environment, which helps to support children's understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

However, risk assessments are not as robust when children are exploring during woodland sessions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff understand their responsibility to safeguard children.

They have a good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know the procedure to follow should they have concerns about a child or if an allegation is made against a member of staff. Staff regularly update their training to support their safeguarding knowledge, which includes training around wider safeguarding concerns.

This helps to promote children's safety and well-being. The manager follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of staff and takes steps to assess their ongoing suitability.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review risk assessments to identify any potential hazards and minimise risks to children during their attendance at woodland sessions.

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