Linx Preschool

Inspection of Linx Preschool Lilly Hall Road, Maltby, ROTHERHAM, South Yorkshire S66 8BE

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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 Good

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The provision is good

All children make good progress during their time in this setting. They are welcomed each day by warm, friendly staff. Children demonstrate strong relationships with staff and each other. This helps them feel safe and secure. Children's social development is fully promoted through cooperative play and adult- led learning. For instance, children help each other to climb a slide. Children are supported successfully to understand their feelings and emotions. Gentle guidance from staff helps them to understand the expectations for their behaviour. As a result, all children behave well.

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The provision is good

Children's understanding of good health and self-care is promoted through play and daily routines. They discuss the importance of brushing their teeth and using sunscreen. Children smile broadly and proudly tell visitors that they brushed their teeth at home that morning. Children learn about keeping themselves safe. They assess risks during their play, such as navigating balance beams without adult help. They discuss why they should wear a seatbelt in the car.

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The provision is good

Children have high self-esteem and confidence. They learn to be tolerant and respectful. For example, children are reminded that it is polite to listen to each other and wait for their turn to talk. Children develop resilience when they learn to negotiate and solve problems. Children learn about their community and the wider world through stories, role play and cultural celebrations.

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need to do better?

n Staff work in close partnership with parents and carers to ensure assessments of children's development are accurate. Staff use the information to design a sequenced curriculum that helps children to continually build on what they already know and can do. For example, staff introduce children to measurement by working out how many steps it takes walk across a space. n Children's love of books and reading is promoted highly successfully. Staff pause as they read to give children time to think and remember familiar words and phrases. Staff introduce new words, such as 'Triceratops' and 'Brachiosaur'. They encourage children to use books for reference, such as finding the names of dinosaurs they cannot remember. This supports children's understanding that information can be found in different formats. Staff help children to make connections in their learning. For instance, they explain that some dinosaurs, like

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need to do better?

giraffes, have long necks so that they can eat leaves that are high up. n Children make rapid progress in developing communication and language skills. They enjoy games where they hear rhyming words and begin to recognise and produce rhyming sounds. Staff introduce songs, which make children's learning enjoyable and memorable. Children who are not meeting their expected targets

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need to do better?

17 March 2025 participate in 'Tiny Talkers' sessions. These help children to speak clearly, process sounds, and understand others. Consequently, children quickly catch up. n Children enjoy imaginative play linked to experiences from home, such as making tea together. They share their ideas and listen to each other. On occasions, staff are not perceptive to children's ideas and questions during their play. This means they do not always fully explore these to extend children's learning. For instance, when children suggest making 'lemonade' staff do not encourage children to think about the ingredients needed or how much of each item they might need. n Staff are enthusiastic and motivate even the most reluctant learners to join in. During small group activities, children listen, follow instructions and are keen to share their knowledge. They talk about the cold weather and the effect it has on their body, such as making their hands cold. Children think about what clothes

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need to do better?

they wear, which promotes their understanding of self-care. During these group activities, staff do not always fully consider the timing of care routines. For instance, some children are taken to have their nappy changed, which interrupts their learning. n Leaders' continuous and effective evaluation of their practice means children enjoy high quality care and learning. Leaders are proactive in seeking support for children and families who might need additional help. Children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive high levels of support during their time in the setting. This means they make good progress from their starting points. Leaders ensure staff access professional development that continually builds their skills and drives improvement for children. For example, managers have completed social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) training so that they have more understanding of how to support children.

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need to do better?

n Parents are highly appreciative of the care and learning their children receive. Reading books are shared for them to read at home with their children. The setting also provides parents with resources, such as arts and crafts boxes to continue children's activities at home.

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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 be more perceptive to children's ideas and questions during their play, to fully explore their ideas and interests and extend their learning further n always consider the timing of care routines, such as nappy changing to ensure

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should:

17 March 2025 children who are engaged in their learning are not interrupted.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 303246 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 10389590 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Linx Pre School

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reference number

Telephone number 01709 816401 Date of previous inspection 23 May 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Linx Preschool registered in 1982. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff, all of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 2 or above. The pre- school opens Monday to Friday from 8.30am until 11.30am and from midday until 3pm, term time only. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together. They discussed how the provider organised different aspects of learning. n The inspector spoke to children about activities they enjoy when they attend the setting. n The inspector considered parents' feedback and discussed working with different families with the provider. n The inspector observed the quality of education. She talked to staff about their ongoing professional development. n The inspector carried out a joint evaluation of an activity with the manager and talked to the manager about how they evaluate the provision.

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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

17 March 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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