Tiny Tows Pre School

Tiny Tows Pre-School Towcester Infant School, Islington Road, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 6AU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 March 2015 12 September 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement 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

 The staff have a secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and they successfully plan activities that follow children's interests. This results in children making good progress in their learning.  Children's communication and language skills are supported by the staff. They sit with them during activities, talk to them about what they are doing, and introduce new and descriptive words to the children's vocabulary.  Children show that they feel a sense of belonging in the pre-school. They are familiar with the daily routine and they are confident to choose their own play materials from the low-level shelves and boxes.  Children are safe because the staff are effectively deployed and the arrival and departure times are managed well. The staff have a good knowledge of the importance of following required safeguarding procedures in the event of any child protection concerns.  Children benefit from the close working partnerships the staff build with their parents.

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This provision is good

Information provided from home about children's interests and achievements are valued by the staff and used to inform the ongoing planning for each child. Parents comment on how approachable the staff are and how well their child is progressing since attending the pre-school.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasion, during small group times, the activities are not pitched to meet every child's needs and this results in some children becoming distracted.  The opportunities for children to respond to open-ended questions during adult-led activities are not fully maximised.

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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

 strengthen small group time to ensure that all children are fully involved, particularly when they are waiting to go home, for example, by planning suitable activities and songs they can all take part in  build on the already good interactions between the staff and children during adult-led activities, for example, by extending the open-ended questions asked by the staff and ensure children have time to consider their responses.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in both playrooms and in the outside play space.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and deputy and with one member of staff. She spoke with the other staff and the children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took into account the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.

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who attend. This is good

Staff provide a good range of activities that promote children's learning across the seven areas of learning. They are mostly effective in their teaching because they know the children well, and spend good amounts of time with them, exploring their ideas. Occasionally, the activities are not fully matched to ensure all children are engaged, which results in some losing interest. Staff organise the setting to ensure that children have their needs met. Younger and older children have their own rooms, which ensures that they are provided with activities to support their learning. Children's awareness of shapes and numbers is developing well. Staff use opportunities that arise to encourage the children to count. Children explore chalks outside, drawing a range of shapes. Children enjoy the staff's positive interaction with them during adult-led activities. However, staff do not always consider how to extend children's thinking by asking open-ended questions and

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who attend. This is good

give all children taking part time to respond.

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good

Children clearly demonstrate a sense of well-being in the pre-school. They are able to settle quickly because the staff work individually with them and their parents when they start attending to ensure their needs are met. They are increasingly independent, confident to move between their chosen activities and approach the staff for assistance as they need it. Children's personal, social and emotional skills are supported well by the staff. They are able to take turns and share during activities. They understand the expectations for behaviour, responding to gentle reminders and effective use of distraction by the staff when they become over exuberant in their play. Throughout the year, children spend regular time in the school. This results in them being very familiar with the staff and premises. These skills and activities contribute to children being well prepared for their move on to school. Daily opportunities to play outside, healthy snacks and drinks and

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good

procedures for hand washing promotes children's good health.

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provision is good

The manager and staff team work well together. They demonstrate a good understanding of how to support children's learning through effective planning, observation and assessment. Staff are enthusiastic with children, which results in them being motivated to take part in the activities. Safeguarding is given high priority. Staff have completed training and they maintain close supervision of the children. The committee and manager have effective procedures for the recruitment of suitable staff and check their ongoing suitability regularly. Staff are keen to keep their knowledge up-to-date, attending regular training courses to support their work. This commitment to training has a positive impact on children because staff are confident and knowledgeable about how to help individuals make the best progress they can. The staff team have responded positively to the issues raised at the last inspection, successfully making changes to their practice to ensure the

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219966 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 991265 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 49 Name of provider Tiny Tows Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 12 September 2014 Telephone number 01327 354815

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Setting details

Tiny Tows Pre-School was registered in 1999. It is situated on the site of Towcester Church of England Primary School and is independently managed by a committee. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or 5. The pre-school opens, from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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