Attimore Barn Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children exhibit high levels of contentment and feel secure at this welcoming pre-school. Staff work extremely closely with parents and carers to support their children to settle. They get to know the children exceptionally well and very quickly become perceptive of their needs.

Children are inspired to learn. They delight in exploring the indoor and outdoor spaces, which are planned with a great deal of thought and expertise. Children confidently choose from the abundance of varied and imaginative resources that are wonderfully presented to capture their interest.

For example, they enthusiastically delve into a... tray filled with soil and herbs and explore real vegetables in the role-play shop. Children's vocabulary is developing rapidly. For example, they talk about making 'volcanos' while playing in the sand.

Staff sensitively monitor what children are doing and skilfully offer support where needed. Children learn to manage risks and use tools appropriately, such as using safety knifes to slice fruit when making their fruit kebabs.Children behave very well and play extremely cooperatively together.

Staff are excellent role models. They give children important messages that reinforce and encourage positive behaviour. Staff sensitively encourage children to talk about and manage their own feelings.

They support children to relate to others and continually provide children with meaningful praise.

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

The co-owners and staff team are dedicated to providing high-quality experiences for children and their families. Staff show a genuine enthusiasm and passion for their work with children.

They regularly reflect on all aspects of the provision, including their own and each other's practice, to help them to continually improve outcomes for children. The management team's support and close monitoring ensures that any areas for development are swiftly addressed to maintain a high standard of teaching and learning.Partnerships with parents and carers are exceptional.

Parents offer the highest praise for the pre-school. They comment on the excellent communication and support they receive from staff, and how much their children have progressed since attending.Staff promote a friendly and caring environment.

They support children's emotional well-being superbly. Children are kind and considerate. They are extremely aware of the purpose of the digital timers and willingly share popular items, such as a water spray bottle, when their time is up.

Children enjoy being active. Outdoors, they carefully manoeuvre around objects as they use ride-on toys. Staff are exceptionally well deployed and vigilant.

They communicate effectively with each other to ensure children remain safe at all times. Children are extremely keen to take part in weekly yoga sessions. Staff praise children's growing skill in holding poses, focusing their attention and relaxing.

Children recall previous learning, such as remembering to say 'namaste' at the beginning of the session.Staff regularly involve children in events in the community, such as litter-picking walks, helping the food bank to fill bags, and sending Christmas cards to the local care home. They understand how these enriching opportunities contribute to deepening children's experiences of the wider world.

Staff give children clear and consistent messages. For example, they encourage children to make healthy food choices. During snack times, children select what they would like to eat and serve themselves.

Those children who stay for lunch enjoy eating their packed lunch in a social atmosphere.Children have many opportunities to develop the skills they need for the next stage in their learning. They eagerly join in with the familiar words and actions to songs and rhymes and learn to foster a love of reading, enjoying a wide range of books.

Children beam with pride as staff acknowledge their achievements, such as finding their coat, putting it on, and doing up their zip independently. All children make substantial and sustained progress throughout their time at the pre-school.Staff's development and ongoing training are high priorities.

They highlight specific training to meet children's needs and regularly share learning across the staff team to continually develop their knowledge and skills. Less-qualified staff are mentored to gain relevant childcare qualifications. Staff state that they feel valued and listened to.

They comment that they thoroughly enjoy working in the pre-school and have high regard of and respect for each other.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Safeguarding is given unquestionable priority.

The management team implements thorough procedures to ensure the safe recruitment and ongoing suitability of staff. There is a strong focus on supporting children and families. All staff fully understand their role to protect children from harm.

They keep robust records and know exactly what action they must take if they are concerned about the welfare of a child. Staff regularly attend training and have a very secure knowledge of safeguarding, including wider child protection issues. The manager ensures that staff keep their knowledge up to date.

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