Little Saplings Preschool

Little Saplings Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): 2783041 Address: Lawshall Voluntary Controlled School, The Street, Lawshall, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 4QA Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 09/04/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Little Saplings Preschool

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders are committed to promoting inclusive approaches to behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines. For instance, where possible, leaders will adapt sessions to help reduce the tiredness some children experience when attending on consecutive days. This improves children's overall attendance and wellbeing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children respond well to familiar routines and know what is expected of them. For example, they stop and listen when staff use the triangle signal and use 'twinkly fingers' appropriately to show staff they have their attention. Children consistently help to tidy up, make healthy choices at mealtimes and follow safe hygiene routines. Children who need extra support receive it discreetly. For example, staff subtly adapt seating and the organisation of mealtimes to ensure the care needs of all children are met inclusively.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children become increasingly independent in their self-care skills and build caring attachments to staff who help them succeed. For example, staff model effective practice and provide younger children with smaller jugs so they can pour their own drinks.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children learn to manage their emotions superbly through sensory play and consistent tailored support from staff. For example, the rainbow room provides children with a calm, sensorial space to use strategies, such as animal-themed yoga, to help regulate their emotions during times of overwhelm. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or wellbeing needs, refocus and return to learning with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff create a calm environment with clear expectations and guidance from leaders. High staff retention provides children with a stable and supportive environment. Children develop

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Expected standard

trusting relationships with familiar staff, whose interactions are always warm, positive and responsive to children's differing needs.

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Expected standard

New children seek comfort and are reassured by their key person during group registration. Staff respond with genuine care, consistent praise and gentle guidance. Consequently, children settle quickly and develop a strong sense of belonging and happiness in the setting. Leaders and staff are proactive in identifying individual children's needs and in ensuring an inclusive environment. For example, adaptations to the setting, such as safety ramps, are installed to ensure that all children can access the garden safely and independently.

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Expected standard

Children also show a love of books. Older children readily read stories to their younger peers, who giggle with delight at the animated voices they use. This helps to strengthen peer friendships and supports children's overall emotional wellbeing at the setting.

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Expected standard

Staff support children's wellbeing beyond their time at the setting. For example, they work with outside professionals to put education plans in place and help children prepare for the move to school. Leaders and staff also work closely with new schools and teachers to help ensure that children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the best possible start to the next stage of education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children become independent learners and develop the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. They make steady progress across all 7 areas of learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes those children with any other barriers to learning or wellbeing. Children benefit from a bespoke settling-in process and a well-established key-person system.

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Achievement Expected standard

They receive tailored support informed by careful assessment and close work with parents, carers and other professionals. For example, all children develop high levels of self-esteem as staff provide learning opportunities that are challenging but achievable from each child's individual starting points.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children benefit from well-targeted support that reflects their needs and progress. Eligible children receive effective support through additional funding where needed, including enhanced staffing ratios. Children with SEND, and those with other barriers to learning, typically access the full curriculum. However, sometimes staff do not consider fully how to adapt their teaching outdoors to help children achieve the best possible outcomes in their speech and language development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and staff have designed a curriculum that covers all 7 areas of learning, with a clear focus on developing children's independence. Staff usually deliver this well. Children are motivated and curious learners who enjoy leading their own play and learning through trial and error. Staff generally help children build on what they already know. They encourage them to recall prior learning and use thoughtful questions, visual prompts, and resources to deepen understanding. This is effective when children recall that the beehive is oval-shaped, like an egg.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make lots of progress in their communication and language. Staff use robust assessment tools and regularly monitor children's progress. They work closely with parents and outside professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to provide tailored and ongoing support for children who need it. For example, staff use strategies such as Makaton and visual prompts to strengthen children's communication skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff offer stimulating outdoor learning experiences, such as digging and planting. This supports children's understanding of lifecycles while extending their speech and language skills through insightful discussions. However, staff do not always adapt their interactions well enough to ensure all children are encouraged and motivated to join in these focused activities. This limits the amount of progress some children make in language, vocabulary and communication, which comes from enhanced support from skilful staff.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff identify, assess and reduce barriers to learning before children start. They gather detailed information from parents and any other relevant professionals, such as speech and language therapists. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met from the outset.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff know their key children extremely well. They generally adapt their teaching effectively to ensure children get the most from planned learning experiences. For example, during daily registration, children are invited to choose the matching weather picture and place it on the interactive board. Staff promote teamwork and inclusion by encouraging peers to guide and support one another. As a result, less confident children grow in confidence and independence in a fun and supportive environment. Staff praise children's involvement effectively. This boosts their confidence and supports progress in their social communication development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

During child-directed play, staff should strengthen practice by involving children who remain on the edge of play more consistently. This would help ensure that all children, especially those with SEND, are supported to achieve their best learning outcomes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have a secure understanding of children's needs and progress. They use this knowledge well to decide how any additional funding children receive is used, helping to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders typically have a secure understanding of children's needs and progress. They take account of views from parents and other professionals working with children to decide how additional funding should be used. This ensures that any money spent on new resources and tailored support consistently reduces barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. Staff complete training to complement inclusive practice, such as autism awareness training. This has assisted staff to establish structured routines that make learning predictable and safe for all children. However, leaders do not always ensure staff reflect deeply enough on their practice to ensure their interactions consistently help children reach their full potential.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know their staff well and provide huge amounts of support for their mental health and wellbeing. For example, they recognise when staff would benefit from a break and offer a wellbeing day. This helps staff remain patient, attentive and responsive to children's needs. As a result, children build trusting relationships and receive the emotional support they need to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents speak very positively about the leadership and staff team and value the clear communication about their children's progress. Support plans are reviewed regularly with parents and relevant professionals. This well-managed, holistic approach helps all children, including those with barriers to learning, move on to school smoothly and successfully.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children feel safe and secure through familiar routines. On arrival, they hang up their belongings on their named peg and eagerly join the registration activity with their peers. New children quickly form caring bonds during this daily event. Key staff sit reassuringly beside them and respond sensitively to their needs, such as offering a cuddle when they need a little reassurance.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Overall, children typically receive high-quality teaching. Children are highly independent in their play and explore the stimulating activities on offer with confidence. They enjoy a wide range of outdoor physical activities and frequently play harmoniously alongside their peers. They keep themselves safe by taking turns on popular equipment, such as slides and ride- on toys. This also shows respect and kind behaviours they have towards others. Children also learn about sustainable and healthy living. For example, they grow fruit and vegetables and enjoy tasting them at snack.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

A robust settling-in process is in place. This positively impacts on the progress children make in their learning and development from the beginning. Children benefit from a tailored, gradual settling-in process that allows parents and other professionals to help shape the support they receive at the setting. This reduces any barriers children may face from the outset, such as ensuring enhanced staff ratios are in place. This means children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have the additional support needed to ensure their

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Address:

Lawshall Voluntary Controlled School The Street, Lawshall Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk IP29 4QA individual care needs are continuously met. Consequently, all children feel a sense of belonging and are thriving at the setting.

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Address:

Attendance is supported well, and staff are flexible in meeting the ongoing needs of children and their families. For instance, they work with the local authority to support children who face barriers, including those involved with social services, so they have an equal opportunity to attend, flourish and get the most of their time at the setting.

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Next steps

Leaders should help staff strengthen their practice so that children receive increased support to enhance and extend their communication and language skills, particularly outdoors. Leaders should help staff improve their teaching and interactions so that all children consistently build on what they already know and make greater progress towards their next steps in learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents, the special educational needs coordinator and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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. Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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About this inspection

Registered person: Little Saplings Preschool

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 08:30,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 15:30,Monday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 15:30 - 16:45

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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