St. Mary's Pre-School

St Mary's Nursery Horsham 20 Denne Road, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1JF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 April 2015 5 November 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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

 Staff create a safe, welcoming and well-organised environment. Children quickly grow in confidence and independence. They have good opportunities to choose from a wide range of resources.  Staff provide a wide variety of interesting activities that are well matched to children's interests and offer them new challenges. This helps children to make good progress.  Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive well-targeted support. Staff work closely with other professionals and plan effectively to meet all children's needs.  Staff keep parents well informed and involve them in their child's learning. Parents speak very highly of staff and particularly value their individual, caring approach.  Managers gather the views of staff, parents and children to inform their evaluation of the provision. They have taken effective steps to address actions set at previous inspections. As a result, they have significantly improved children's safety and well-

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always plan group activities, such as stories, effectively. On occasion, some children lose interest as staff do not engage them well and they sometimes miss valuable learning opportunities.  Staff have not fully developed the use of observations to monitor their performance. For example, to identify each other's strengths and to suggest areas to further enhance their practice.

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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

 review the planning and organisation of group times to fully engage all children and promote their listening skills to enhance learning  extend opportunities for staff to observe each other's practice as part of their ongoing professional development.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children taking part in activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector had discussions with the managers and staff.  The inspector sampled documentation, including children's files, improvement plans and evidence of staff suitability.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the managers.

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who attend. This is good

Staff teach children a wide range of skills that help to prepare them for school. They support children's learning well. They observe children and monitor their development closely. This helps them to identify any areas for extra support promptly and to meet all children's needs effectively. Staff talk to children as they play and encourage conversations. They introduce new words and give children time to think before they respond to questions. This supports children's language and communication skills well. During a game, staff challenged children by encouraging them to throw their ball into the numbered containers that were furthest away. They helped children solve simple problems by introducing cubes to add up their scores. Children then practised their literacy skills as they recorded the result on a clipboard. Staff respond to children's interests well and, as a result, children are eager to take part in activities. Children became preoccupied making

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who attend. This is good

big models out of containers; staff skilfully observed and then found giant boxes for them to create their own boats. This successfully enabled children to explore their ideas more fully.

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good

Children have positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff have a warm, caring approach and are sensitive to children's individual needs. This successfully promotes children's emotional and physical well-being. Staff offer consistent guidance and support that helps children to behave well. Children learn to use the sand timer while they wait for their turn on the computer. When staff shake the tambourine, children know that it is five minutes till snack time. Staff check the environment each day to make sure that children can play safely. They supervise children vigilantly, including in the hallway and toilets. They promote children's good health effectively. Children enjoy healthy choices at snack, such as fruit and breadsticks. They play outside every day in all weathers, enjoying the fresh air and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.

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provision is good

Managers and staff show a good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Managers implement robust recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff have a good understanding of child protection procedures and how to safeguard children's welfare. Managers monitor staff performance effectively through supervision and evaluate the effectiveness of the educational programme. They use this information to drive improvement and to monitor children's ongoing learning. Staff regularly attend local courses and use what they learn to develop their skills. For instance, they have developed the programme for mathematics so that children now receive good support in this area.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY387285 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 998285 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 48 Name of provider Horsham Parochial Church Council Date of previous inspection 5 November 2014 Telephone number 01403 250223

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Setting details

St. Mary's Nursery registered in 2008. It operates from the Girl Guide Headquarters in Horsham, West Sussex. The nursery is open during term time from 8.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 8.30am to 12.30pm on Friday. Sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am and 12.30pm to 3.30pm, with a lunch club from 11.30am to 12.30pm. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are six staff; of whom one has Early Years Professional Status, one has Qualified Teacher Status, three hold qualifications at level 3 and the other staff member possesses a B.A. Hons. Degree in Education & a level 3 Montessori qualification.

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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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