St Matthias Pre-School & Childcare Centre

St Matthias Church Pre- School Babbacombe Road, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 1HW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 March 2015 14 April 2011

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Partnerships with parents are strong; these support children's learning at home and help hasten progress.  Staff have excellent partnerships with other relevant professionals which help them provide strong support to children with specific needs so these children progress well from their starting points on entry.  Children have lots of space to engage in purposeful play both inside and out.  Staff help children make good progress through planning and providing a variety of interesting activities.  Staff provide a welcoming and stimulating environment for all; this helps parents and children feel confident.  Staff improve their practice by regularly attending training. They make good use of their new skills and understanding to improve the outcomes for children. These include effective use of sign language to support children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff provide children with few technology resources so children do not experience all aspects of the programme for understanding the world.  Staff do not seize all chances to promote children's ability to think and solve problems for themselves.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 increase availability of technology resources in children's play to ensure children have rich learning experiences  give children time to compose their answers before expecting them to respond so they have time to think about problems and work out a solution.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children and staff participating in activities and daily routines, indoors and outside, and looked at the toys, resources and equipment available for children's use.  The inspector spoke to children and some parents to gain their views on the provision.  The inspector spoke to members of staff at suitable times, and held discussions with the manager. Discussions covered improvements made since the previous inspection, assessment methods, partnership working, evaluation methods and plans for future improvements, and knowledge of when to notify Ofsted of changes.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector viewed relevant documentation, including required records and assessment paperwork, and discussed policies and procedures.

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who attend. This is good

Children have free access to a variety of activities both inside and out and thoroughly enjoy deciding what to play with, which develops their independence as learners. Staff provide activities across all areas but children are unable to experiment with a range of technology. Staff plan activities based on children's interests, such as dinosaurs. This means children are keen to participate. Staff assess children's abilities accurately and plan for what they need to learn next so their progress is consistently good. Staff use a range of good methods to help children communicate well. However, on occasions, staff step in too soon after asking children questions to extend their learning. This means children do not have sufficient time to think about their answers and try to work things out before responding. This prevents them from trying to solve problems. Parents have positive relationships with their child's designated member of staff, who keeps them well informed

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good

Practitioners set clear guidelines for children by being positive role models; these help the children learn by example. Children enjoy cuddles and interactions from staff and are emotionally secure because staff meet their physical needs well. Staff keep children safe from harm effectively and know the procedures to take when concerns arise. Children's behaviour is very good. They respond immediately to staff expectations. Children are prepared for well for their move to school. Staff support children's personal, social and emotional development well, including through positive links with the adjoining church and visitors regularly reading Bible stories to children helping them understand Christian views. Children learn that people differ, for example, through the involvement of parents in the pre-school who come in regularly and cook traditional foods.

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provision is good

The leadership and management team work together well to ensure requirements are implemented to a high standard. Staff are well motivated and keen to improve their practice. The manager checks children's progress and has planned actions to overcome any areas for development. Staff complete a 'learning diary audit' which helps them identify their own strengths which are then actively used with the children. Staff make good use of adult-led activities to meet children's individual learning needs. Staff have regular supervision meetings with the manager, who checks they remain suitable to work with children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 139479 Local authority Torbay Inspection number 841366 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider St Matthias Church Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 14 April 2011 Telephone number 01803 215 068

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Setting details

St Matthias Pre-school started in 1997 and registered with Ofsted in 2001. It is located in Torquay. The pre-school follows a Christian ethos. The pre-school is open from 8.45am until 3.15pm on Monday to Friday during term times. The pre-school offers free early years education to children aged three and four years. There are five staff who support the provision, all of whom have appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 or above.

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Setting details

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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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Setting details

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, 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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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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