Little Me Pre-School

Inspection of Little Me Pre-School Etonwick CofE First School, Sheepcote Road, Eton Wick, Windsor SL4 6JB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

All staff put children at the heart of everything they do. They create a home-from- home setting where children feel extremely safe and comfortable. Children arrive eager to start their busy day. They are greeted warmly by cheerful staff, who build affectionate bonds with them. Staff are especially sensitive to children's overall well-being and personal situations. Children readily approach them for cuddles and reassurance when needed.

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The provision is good

Leaders design a sequenced and varied curriculum that focuses on supporting children's emotional well-being and communication skills. Staff model good qualities that support children to become independent, confident and able to make friends. They thoughtfully develop children's key language skills and plan activities that build effectively on their interests. Staff work hard to ensure all children's self- worth is enhanced to enable them to thrive in their next stage of learning. Children make good progress from their starting points.

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The provision is good

Staff have appropriate expectations for behaviour based on children's ages and stages of development. Children make independent choices of what and who they want to play with. Staff enthusiastically engage with children. Even the youngest children readily invite staff into their play and keenly share what they are doing. Staff generously praise children's efforts and achievements. This helps to enhance their self-esteem and enjoyment.

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need to do better?

n Staff actively listen to children and interact with kindness and compassion. They sit at their level and model play with them. Staff develop children's communication and language skills through regularly repeating single words and descriptive ones. For example, they describe ice cream as 'delicious' and 'yummy' as children pretend to eat them. Story sessions, in particular, help children learn to listen attentively and apply words they hear. Babies impressively turn pages and lift flaps in books to reveal a variety of pictures. Toddlers connect words in nursery rhymes to the actions. Older children talk passionately about topics that interest them, such as dinosaurs. They confidently teach staff some unusual names of these prehistoric creatures. In this way, children become competent communicators. n On the whole, staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop. The quality of teaching is generally effective in delivering the

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need to do better?

educational programmes and ensuring children's progress. However, leaders have not fully considered the most effective arrangements to identify and address minor weaknesses in staff's teaching skills. For instance, at times, staff interrupt children's flow and thought processes when they are exploring. They

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need to do better?

24 January 2025 do not always allow children the space and time to build their resilience to follow a task through. n Staff know children well and provide a calm and nurturing learning environment. They quickly identify children who may need additional support, such as noticing signs of speech delay. Staff gather information from parents and use their observations of children to provide bespoke settling-in sessions. This helps children to settle into nursery life. n Children are enthusiastic and motivated learners. They become engrossed in activities during their spontaneous play, which helps to deepen their interests and build new ones. Staff recognise the benefit of older children acting as good role models and helping the younger ones. In this way, children begin to play harmoniously together. This is illustrated when older children spend quality time in the mark-making area, drawing their favourite things, and the younger ones

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need to do better?

keenly follow suit. They try hard to hold writing equipment correctly and make more controlled marks. n Partnerships with parents are strong and trusted overall. Parents value the high levels of care and consideration staff offer their children. However, the two-way sharing of information about children's ongoing development is not as well established with all parents. This means that staff and some of these parents do not have a full picture of their children's capabilities. Consequently, children's continuity in their learning is not always assured. n Children benefit from real-life experiences that place them in the heart of the local community. For example, staff regularly accompany children on walks to the local village. Children learn about the different shops and what they sell, as well as meeting people from different walks of life. Staff point out objects of interest on their walks, which helps to broaden children's understanding of the

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need to do better?

world. Parents are often amazed at how their children's stamina to walk has improved as a result.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n monitor staff's practice more robustly to identify any areas of their existing practice that need improving and support them to achieve improvements n enhance partnerships with all parents to improve the two-way flow of information about children's learning and development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2709043 Local authority Windsor and Maidenhead Inspection number 10376171 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Canavan, Shelley

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reference number

Telephone number 07867314065 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Me Pre-School registered in 2022. The setting operates from a building in Etonwick Church of England First School in Windsor, Berkshire. It opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 5.30pm, all year round. There are three members of staff employed at the setting, one of whom holds a relevant childcare qualification at level 3. The manager has a level 4 qualification. The setting provides funded early education for children aged from nine months to four years.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of an activity. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

24 January 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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