Stone Cross Independent Pre-School

Stone Cross Independent Pre-School Stone Cross School, Adur Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey, East Sussex, BN24 5EF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 June 2015 12 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

 Staff are highly skilled at using children's interests to ask questions that require a more detailed answer than 'yes' or 'no'. This effectively encourages children to develop their conversation skills.  Staff work well with other professionals. This makes a strong contribution to helping to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Staff skilfully promote children's independence and confidence, particularly in self-care skills. They encourage children to help prepare snacks, lay tables and wash their dirty plates when they have finished.  The staff use exceptional strategies to help children prepare emotionally for school. This helps to ease the children's move to school very successfully.  The leadership and management team involves parents, staff, other professionals and children in helping to evaluate the service accurately. Effective actions in response to areas for improvement continually enhance outcomes for children.

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This provision is good

 The leadership and management team uses effective procedures to deal with safeguarding issues. This helps to keep children safe and protects them from harm.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not fully encourage children who learn better outdoors to build on their understanding of size, shape and measure. For example, there are limited opportunities for children to order, weigh and measure to extend their learning outside.

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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

 provide opportunities for children who learn better outdoors to extend their understanding of size, shape and measure.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interactions with the children in all areas of the pre-school.  The inspector held ongoing discussions with the staff, the manager and children, including discussions about safeguarding.  The inspector examined a sample of documentation, including policies, procedures, children's development records and staff files.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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who attend. This is good

The quality of teaching is good. The staff are skilled at building on children's interests to extend their learning. They skilfully promote children's communication, language and early reading skills. For example, they introduce words, explain their meaning and effectively encourage children to speak about their experiences. Staff use additional resources to support children's learning. Children confidently call out the phonic sound and form the letters in the air when discussing the letter of the week. They also identify their name cards when getting ready for mealtimes. This helps them to develop their early reading and writing skills. Staff closely observe the children's skills, identifying their next steps in learning and planning activities accordingly. They work effectively with parents, regularly sharing the children's development and next steps in learning so that parents can complement the children's learning at home.

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outstanding

A well-established key-person system is in place. Key persons gather detailed information from parents, which helps them to skilfully tailor settling-in sessions to meet the children's needs. They use effective strategies to help children settle, such as photographs of the routines. This makes a strong contribution to providing consistent care for children and successfully helps children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, children develop secure emotional bonds that help to make them feel very confident and secure. Staff give very clear messages that help children gain an excellent understanding of a healthy lifestyle. They plan a rich range of activities by welcoming in other professionals who offer differing musical experiences. For example, children enjoy moving like creatures under the sea and dancing to hip-hop music. Consequently, they develop their physical skills through exploring these different ways to move.

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provision is good

The leadership and management team has a good understanding of how to meet the safeguarding requirements. Effective recruitment, induction and supervision processes ensure all staff are fully aware of their responsibilities. The leadership and management team uses effective systems to ensure that staff improve their practice. Regular access to additional training ensures staff build on their teaching skills and effectively helps children prepare for school. For example, as a result of attending training with speech therapists, staff have introduced small group sessions. This has effectively supported children in developing positive relationships, as well as building on their speech and language. The manager regularly completes audits on children's progress and supports non-qualified staff in obtaining a recognised qualification. This ensures continuous improvement.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 109525 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 839609 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider Stone Cross Independent Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 12 February 2010 Telephone number 01323 740149

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Setting details

Stone Cross Independent Pre-School registered in 1999. It operates from within Stone Cross Primary School in Stone Cross, East Sussex. The pre-school opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years of age. The pre-school employs six members of staff. Of these, five staff, including the manager, hold a recognised level 3 childcare 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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