Little Owls Pre-School

Little Owls Pre-School Icknield Primary School, Birdsfoot Lane, LUTON, LU3 2JB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 May 2015 4 February 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

 The well-qualified staff confidently implement effective teaching techniques and offer pertinent support to all children. Consequently, all children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.  Staff support children well so that they develop a good understanding of healthy practices. For example, children discuss the positive effects of exercise as they participate in a range of physical activities.  Improved planning procedures mean that children enjoy a wide variety of activities that are closely linked to their interests. They are motivated and excited about these, thereby helping them to feel positive about their learning, and preparing them well with the skills they need for school.  Staff are sensitive to the needs of parents and families and build good partnerships with them. They offer practical information about activities and so support parents in

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This provision is good

building on what their children have learned at the setting.  Staff attend training and put their new knowledge into practice. This has a positive effect on children. For example, staff now offer children more support in extending their communication skills and understanding of how to manage their own behaviour.  Staff attend training and regularly refresh their knowledge of safeguarding procedures. As a result, they consistently promote children's safety and welfare.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always make maximum use of updates from all parents about their children's progress at home, in order to enrich the activity planning.  Staff do not always use resources and daily opportunities to extend children's writing skills to the maximum.

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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

 enhance the opportunities for all parents to provide updates on their child's progress at home, in order to enrich the activity planning  extend the provision of writing materials for children to write as part of their daily play, and enhance the opportunities for children to use their writing skills, for example, by writing their own names on their work.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main room and the outside area.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and deputy manager of the provision, and carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation. She checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation information and improvement plans.  The inspector took account of the views of the parents and carers spoken to on the day, and from information included in the setting's own parent survey.

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who attend. This is good

Staff assess children well and use the information to inform the daily planning. However, they do not always have a full picture of children's progress at home. This means that children's development is not promoted to the optimum. Staff support children well, encouraging them to extend their knowledge. For example, a staff member encourages children exploring musical instruments to play quickly and slowly and to note the beat. She extends this by playing an instrument out of children's sight. They describe what they hear and work out which instrument she is playing. Children enjoy structured activities where they write and make marks. For example, they paint and write letters in sand. However, their writing skills are not promoted to the maximum. Staff do not always encourage children to write or check that they consistently have access to writing resources as part of their daily play. Children who have special educational needs and/or

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who attend. This is good

disabilities are well supported. They enjoy individual work with their key person, which develops their communication and concentration skills. Staff interact well with children and promote their language development. They sensitively support children who speak English as an additional language. They reinforce new vocabulary and support children in speaking in sentences.

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good

Staff's good understanding of each child means that they offer children relevant support to help them settle, offering home visits to aid this process. Children quickly build secure, trusting relationships with staff. They develop good social skills, as staff encourage them to respect each other and support them in sharing and working together. Consequently, children are positive in their play and interactions and are emotionally prepared for school. Improved procedures mean that staff ensure that the outdoor area is well set out, and offers children opportunities to explore and develop their knowledge. Staff encourage children to assess risks as they play. For example, children using the slide understand that they need to give each other space to climb the steps.

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provision is good

Senior managers have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They ensure that their policies support them in meeting all requirements. Staff make good use of the knowledge gained from completing childcare qualifications. For example, the completion of a childcare degree has enabled senior staff to improve the support they offer to other staff. This helps them to further develop their practice and improve children's daily experiences. Thorough monitoring means that staff quickly note any gaps in children's learning and take action to address these. For example, they now offer children more structured activities that support their literacy skills. Robust self-evaluation leads to relevant changes, such as improved outdoor activities. Staff work well in partnership with other childcare providers, ensuring that children's care is consistent and their well-being is promoted.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY413535 Local authority Luton Inspection number 851409 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 63 Name of provider Elaine Margaret Langford Date of previous inspection 4 February 2011 Telephone number 01582 534 000

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Setting details

Little Owls Pre-School was registered in 2010. The setting employs nine members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 11.45am and 12.15pm until 3.15pm, with the option of a lunch club in between the sessions. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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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