The Chesterfords Community Preschool

The Chesterfords Pre- School The Chesterfords Community Centre, Newmarket Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1NS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 October 2015 12 January 2012

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good and children make good progress. The well-qualified staff understand how children develop and they build on their eagerness to learn. Staff accurately assess children's development and provide a range of experiences that meet their individual needs. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, or school.  Children develop a strong bond with their key person. Settling-in routines, such as frequent play sessions before children attend, are well planned. Information completed by parents helps staff to support children's learning and well-being.  Staff use ideas and resources, such as puppets, persona dolls and role play, to reinforce children's understanding of safety in the setting and consideration for each other. Children behave well and discuss possible consequences of unsafe behaviours. They learn to reach agreements when playing together.  Leadership is strong. The management team and the committee's commitment to

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This provision is good

continuous improvement is evident. They review and critically evaluate their practice, incorporating relevant legislation to their effective policies. Staff have diligently addressed all recommendations made at the last inspection.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Performance management of staff does not make maximum use of all information available. This does not ensure that professional development is highly focused.  Staff do not work as effectively as possible with all other settings that children attend, to ensure continuity in children's learning and enhance their progress even further.

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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

 embed the system of performance management further to maximise incisive evaluation of staff's practice and focus professional development  build on the partnerships with other childcare settings that children attend to more effectively support continuity in their learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager and discussed their findings.  The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the pre-school's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector held a meeting with the chairperson and treasurer of the committee.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Regular reviews of all procedures ensure that the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff update their knowledge by completing regular training. Recruitment and induction are robust; new staff have frequent meetings with a mentor during their period of probation. This helps to ensure that they maintain the good quality of care in the setting. Annual appraisals are used well to review staff practice, and staff observations take place regularly. However, the manager's implementation of performance management, following a recent training course, is not fully embedded to support highly focused professional development. The manager and staff vigilantly review and track the progress in learning made by all children to ensure that they make good progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff understand the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They involve parents in all aspects of care and learning. Staff offer activities and ideas for learning to be completed at home, such as individual home learning packs. Parents provide information about children's achievements made at home during daily conversations and in writing, which aids individual planning. Children use early technology, such as torches in the dark tent. They capably design and construct vehicles, such as helicopters, from small bricks. They select bricks of appropriate size and shape for their intricate constructions. Children become engaged with stories, joining in familiar rhymes and extending their early literacy. Staff generally work well in partnership with other providers, such as settings close by and local schools. However, they are yet to fully establish relationships with those settings with whom they have no direct contact.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are developing an understanding of the importance of good health. They use and dispose of tissues carefully after wiping their noses. Children are very active. Staff plan carefully for outdoor play to make sure they provide for all the different areas of learning. Children use the small area close to the hall, as well as more extensive grounds nearby. Staff embrace opportunities to explore cultures and languages with children. Currently there are no children attending who speak English as an additional language. However, children do show an interest in languages, culture and foods from other countries, such as Finland. Staff invite parents to share skills and events with the children. For example, children take part in Hannukah celebrations and have enjoyed singing in Spanish. They also learn about the community around them when they carry out fundraising to support national and local charities.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress given their starting points. They manipulate materials and persist with activities. For example, children use pinecones and conkers to paint, observing the patterns that they make. Children love to make marks and eagerly use pads and paper to write, telling the staff that they are writing a shopping list.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY430960 Local authority Essex Inspection number 853150 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 17 Name of provider The Chesterfords Pre-School Date of previous inspection 12 January 2012 Telephone number 07840341551

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Setting details

The Chesterfords Pre-School was registered in 2011. The provision employs eight members of staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15pm. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday children may also attend a lunch club. The provision 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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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