Saffron Pre-School

Saffron Pre-School Linwood Centre, Linwood Lane, LEICESTER, LE2 6QJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 June 2015 24 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 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 team promote children's learning well. All children, including funded two-year-olds and children with additional needs, make good progress in their learning. This is because staff use information gained from observations and assessments to identify and plan activities, which build on children's skills and interests.  Staff create a warm and welcoming environment where children feel settled and enjoy themselves.  Staff know the individual children very well. This enables children to feel secure and to form trusting relationships with them.  Parents feel welcome and appreciate regular exchanges of information about their children's learning and development. This helps to provide continuity of learning for children. Parents say, 'Everything about this pre-school is the best.'  Children are protected well, because staff have a secure understanding of their role and responsibility to safeguard them from harm.

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This provision is good

 Children's behaviour is good. They are confident and make choices about where they want to play and learn.  Recommendations raised at the last inspection have been addressed. The managers and all staff show a strong commitment to maintaining standards for the benefit of children's care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Managers do not check teaching closely enough to ensure children always benefit from excellent learning experiences delivered through higher quality teaching.  On occasions, some staff do not consistently ensure that all children are listening and ready to start activities.

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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

 improve how managers check staff's teaching practice to support all of them to raise the quality of their teaching to a higher level, so that more children benefit from outstanding learning experiences  ensure all staff explain to children when an activity is about to start, so that they are all actively engaged and ready to participate from the very beginning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all the playrooms and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with staff, two representatives from the Pre-School Learning Alliance and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including children's learning journals.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector took into account of the views of the parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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who attend. This is good

All staff engage children well and play alongside them, supporting their play. A wide range of exciting resources are available for children to explore what matches their interest and creativity. For example, children build with small blocks on a light box and marvel at their creations. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported to develop their communication skills in English. All children benefit from the pre-school daily routine, which helps develop the skills that prepare them well for school. For example, planned activities promote children's awareness of number, and their communication and language skills. Staff read children familiar, favourite stories and children respond enthusiastically, by joining in with the words. Stories are then brought to life, as staff provide children with opportunities to handle and taste the fruit they see in books. However, on occasions,

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who attend. This is good

some staff start activities before all children are listening. This means that all children are not always fully engaged and ready to learn from the start of the activity.

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good

Children behave very well, and all staff constantly reward children with praise and encouragement. Children learn to follow the rules, as they safely climb up and down the stairs when they move from different rooms to access a wide range of play experiences. Children respond well to expectations for sharing and play cooperatively. For example, they take turns at group time as they handle natural resources, listening to each other as they talk about them. Children's physical development is promoted well. They have daily opportunities to join in the familiar dance and movement sessions, and to play outdoors. In the garden they have the freedom to explore a wealth of interesting resources. Children show a sense of belonging and are proud of their photographs, which are displayed on notice boards around the pre-school.

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provision is good

Managers ensure all staff keep up to date with current good practice through training and local network meetings provided by the local authority. A further layer of good support is provided through the links with the Pre-school Learning Alliance. This helps to ensure that all requirements are met to a good standard. However, monitoring by managers of staff's teaching is not yet supporting all of them to improve the quality of children's learning to an even higher level, through even more effective teaching. Staff monitor children's progress well, which ensures gaps are closing. This results in all children making good progress in their learning. Written summaries of children's progress are shared with parents. In addition, staff work with many other professionals to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, needs are met. Parents speak highly of the children's learning journals staff produce. These include a host of

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provision is good

photographs and observations of the children learning, and what they need to learn next. Parents add their comments and photographs of their children playing and learning at home. This means all parties work together to achieve good outcomes for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY398586 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 859970 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 92 Name of provider Pre-School Learning Alliance Date of previous inspection 24 February 2010 Telephone number 0116 283 2335

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Setting details

Saffron Pre-School was registered in 2009 and is operated by the Pre-School Learning Alliance. The pre-school is open weekdays during term time from 9am until 12 noon and 12.30pm until 3.30pm. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The pre- school employs 10 members of staff. All have childcare qualifications at Level 3. One staff member has a degree in Early Childhood Studies. 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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