Foundry Lane Preschool met expected standards in the areas of behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines, children’s welfare and wellbeing and inclusion.
However, Ofsted said they needed attention in the areas of achievement, leadership and governance and curriculum and teaching
Inspectors said: “The most able children are not provided with sufficiently challenging experiences to help them to build on what they already know and can do.”
However, inspectors highlighted positives about the preschool, including that leaders are quick to take action and make improvements.
The report said: “Leaders make decisions that put children first.
“They think carefully about the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who have had support from children’s social care or who face other barriers to their learning.”
The inspectors found staff knew how to diminish these learning barriers, however, there was criticism over the lack of ambition for what children can achieve in the pre-school’s curriculum.
Inspectors said: “On occasion, children do not receive the best possible learning opportunities to make continual progress over time.
“When children first start, staff gain information from parents to help them understand what children are ready to learn.
“However, assessment and monitoring thereafter are not sufficiently well implemented to bring about improvements.”
Inspectors said the leaders worked hard to keep routines calm and organised for children, but leadership could benefit from better monitoring of staff practices and more closely supervised curriculum implementation.
This, according to the inspectors, would assist in creating “well-focused plans in place to help all children achieve as well as possible.”
Andy Hiscock, manager at Foundry Lane, said: “The early years inspection framework changed just 10 days before this inspection, and Foundry Lane Preschool was only the second local setting to be inspected under the new arrangements.
“Inspectors noted that children are happy, behave well, form strong relationships with staff and enjoy attending the setting.
“The inspection identified areas for development in curriculum ambition, leadership oversight and challenge for the most able children.
“These areas are already being addressed through strengthened curriculum planning, improved assessment and closer monitoring of practice, alongside support and guidance from the local authority.
“We look forward to welcoming Ofsted back within the next 12 months to demonstrate the impact of the improvements already underway.”