'Good' news from Ofsted for pre-school

Swallownest Pre-School was praised by the inspector for “promoting children's positive behaviour effectively and its “calm and purposeful atmosphere.”

The facility on Rotherham Road which has seven members of childcare staff, was inspected on March 20 and retained its overall rating of 'good'.

The pre-school, which provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children, was also ranked 'good' in the areas of quality of education, behaviour and attitudes , personal development and leadership and management.

The inspector noted: “There is plenty of choice for children, as staff plan activities based on their knowledge of children's interests.”

They also observed staff placing a “strong emphasis on helping children to become confident communicators.”

The pre-school's strong links to the local community were highlighted by Ofsted in the report including trips to the library as well as the village care home, where children visit the older residents.

The Ofsted inspector found effective safeguarding arrangements, staff who supported children's learning as they played, and parents – who received regular updates on their children's learning – who were “delighted with the progress their children make.”

They added to “further improve” the quality of the early years provision, the pre-school should “strengthen teaching further to ensure that staff consistently support children's next steps”, develop group times to promote children's purposeful learning, and provide further professional development for staff to “develop their understanding of the foundations children need to support their early literacy skills.”