Alphabets Preschool

Alphabets Preschool Scout Headquarters, Recreation Ground, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 2ES

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 June 2015 10 February 2010

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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 Outstanding 1

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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

 Children make very good progress in their learning and development due to the high standards set by the leadership team and the experience of staff who continue to reflect upon and strengthen the quality of their teaching.  All staff make accurate observations and assessments of what children know and can do. They regularly update parents on their children's good progress and celebrate children's achievements at home.  Staff quickly identify any gaps or delays in children's progress and implement highly effective interventions with the special educational needs coordinator, parents and external agencies, promptly.  Staff help to prepare children well for changes in their lives. Children are socially, emotionally and developmentally ready for their move to school.  Staff are highly effective in developing positive partnerships with parents to support children's learning, development and well-being. Staff regularly seek parents' views and

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This provision is good

respond professionally to any concerns.  Senior staff monitor the delivery of the education programmes, planning and assessment very effectively.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Children enjoy planting a small range of vegetables and fruits. However, staff do not always fully support children to understand that these need nurturing, and that they need time to grow and ripen.

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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

 build on children's interest in living things to strengthen their understanding of how plants, people and/or creatures grow or change over time.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed a wide range of activities across all areas of the pre-school and talked with staff and children about what they were doing.  The inspector reviewed documents and procedures relating to safeguarding, staffing, supervision, risk assessment, equal opportunities, and health and safety, and checked a selection of other policies.  The inspector sampled a range of children's records and the pre-school's systems for planning, evaluation and exchanging information with parents and external professionals.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and reviewed written communication from parents.  The inspector met with the leadership team and conducted a joint observation with the acting manager.

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who attend. This is good

Children make good progress in their learning. Staff ensure children develop secure foundations for all future learning through a keen and successful focus on targeting children's personal and communication skills. Children use language well to organise their play and share their thoughts and ideas with each other and adults. Staff quickly identify any gaps or delays in children's progress and design activities to help meet their individual needs and help them flourish. Experienced staff have a secure knowledge of how children learn through play. They carefully plan a wide range of activities that interest, engage and challenge children effectively. Consequently, children are enthusiastic and have a good disposition towards investigating and creating. Children take an interest in garden insects, and have a small planting area. However, staff do not always fully develop children's understanding of growth, nurturing and change in their environment.

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outstanding

Staff work closely and very effectively with parents and carers to settle children into the pre-school and later to prepare them for their move to school. Children are happy and secure in the highly stimulating environment staff create for them. Children are confident to explore new activities and build positive relationships with each other. Staff help children develop an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe as they teach them how to assess and manage many everyday risks. For example, children enjoy balancing on a low wall, but know they must jump off at the 'stop' sign. They also choose to wear a helmet when cycling. Children develop very healthy lifestyles as they relish playing and exploring in the excellent outdoor area and exercise their bodies in daily workouts. Staff encourage children to practise using equipment safely as they spread with knives, use tool kits and work with computer tablets.

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provision is good

Leadership and management of the pre-school are strong. They use self-evaluation well to continually improve the provision and outcomes for children. Committed, capable staff work smoothly with the parent committee to implement all the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is tight monitoring of education programmes and regular staff supervision and training from the highly qualified manager. For example, staff training in mathematics now clearly benefits children's understanding and use of numbers. Staff safeguard children's welfare extremely well because all have a thorough understanding of child protection issues and what to do if they have any concerns about a child in their care. Standards of care, welfare and safety across the pre-school are high. There is a wide range of initiatives to engage, support and build on parents' interest in their children's development in order to provide continuity in children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 109823 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 839637 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 44 Name of provider Alphabets Pre School Botley Committee Date of previous inspection 10 February 2010 Telephone number 0786 754 2988

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Setting details

Alphabets Pre-school registered in 1990 and operates from the Scout Hall in Botley, near Southampton. The pre-school is open from 9am to 3pm each weekday during school term times. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four. The pre-school employs six members of staff, all of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 3.

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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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