A school set up near Ashby to provide a learning environment for children from the ages of 2-4 years old has received a 'Good' rating in its first Ofsted report.

The Little Alpacas Pre-School opened 18 months ago at Charnwood Forest Alpacas in Boundary.

When it started, the school said it was striving to give children the best start to life by giving them confidence to play and learn about the world around them in a happy and unique way - in this case among woodlands, pond area and with animals including alpacas, horses, donkeys, sheep, pigs, chickens and cats.

Little Alpacas received its first Ofsted visit last month, and was rated 'Good' in all categories.

The report said: "The provision is good, children are developing a keen interest in the natural world. 

"They enjoy going on daily walks around the farm, where the pre-school is located, to see the different animals and insects. 

"Staff encourage the children to share what they know about the animals and insects that they encounter. Children confidently recall the names of the animals. 

"They know what different animals like to eat, that chickens lay eggs and that ants have six legs. Staff introduce new information to the children. 

"While on walks, the staff encourage the children to remember the rules that are in place to help keep them safe on the farm. 

"Children understand that they need to listen to, and follow, instructions. They need to hold hands and stay in between the staff in case they come across farm vehicles or farm staff moving a herd of animals while on their walks."

The report describes the benefits of the setting and what could be improved upon.

It adds: "Staff get to know the children in their care well. They use information gained from parents, and from observations of children, to find out children's individual development and interests. 

"They include children's interests to plan for their next steps in learning. Staff have a clear vision for what they want children to learn from the curriculum. They focus on supporting children to have the skills they need for the next stage in their learning, including their eventual move to school.

"Parents say that their children enjoy attending the pre-school. They value the friendly staff and say that they are confident that their children are happy, safe and well cared for. Parents comment that they are very well informed about the time their child spends at the pre-school and how their child is developing. 

"Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to provide targeted support that helps individual children make progress. Staff are consistent in using praise and encouragement to effectively support children's good behaviour. 

"They recognise that some children struggle to regulate their emotions. Staff speak to children with respect and encourage them to express how they are feeling. 

"With support, children learn how to resolve conflict and recognise the impact that their behaviour may have on others. 

"Staff comment that they enjoy working at the pre-school. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all staff employed to work with children are suitable to do so. However, the current arrangements for the induction of new staff are not sufficient enough to ensure that they fully understand their role and responsibilities. Overall, staff promote children's communication and language well. 

"They ask children questions to gain information about children's prior knowledge and understanding. Children are keen to share their knowledge and experiences with staff. However, staff do not maximise opportunities that arise during their interactions with children to extend children's communication skills further. When children do not respond to questions asked of them, staff do not consistently provide the children with the answer.

"Staff support children to develop good hygiene practices. They explain to children why they need to wash their hands after petting animals. Staff talk to children about the importance of oral hygiene and why they need to brush their teeth. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their creative skills. 

"The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the need to protect children and keep them safe. 

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: Strengthen the induction arrangements to ensure that staff that are new to the pre-school understand their roles and responsibilities and engage children more effectively in conversations and extend their communication and language skills further."

The school has 42 children and employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold an appropriate childcare qualification at level 3 and one holds a level 2.