St Mary's Pre-School

St Mary's Pre-School St Mary's Church Hall, Mayfield Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 2NT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 October 2015 19 March 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

 The quality of teaching is good, and on some occasions outstanding. The experienced practitioners provide rich, varied and imaginative experiences based on children's interests, both inside and outdoors.  The key-person system is good. All practitioners are clear about their role in helping children form secure emotional attachments. Effective care practices mean children's individual care needs are well met and their confidence and emotional well-being are effectively supported.  Children's safety and welfare are central to everything practitioners do. They effectively support children to understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  Children's speech and language development is particularly well supported, including those who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school's speech and language coordinator ensures well-organised, thorough and comprehensive support is provided for children and their families. As a result, children have their individual needs

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This provision is good

met and make very good progress from their starting points.  Partnerships with parents and other professionals are strong. Parents contribute to the assessments and are kept very well informed regarding children's progress. This shared approach effectively supports children's learning, development and well-being.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasions, practitioners do not communicate well with each other. There are times when there are inconsistencies in the guidance offered to children regarding sharing resources and taking turns.  Some practitioners do not always provide opportunities for all children to answer questions and fully engage in the conversation.

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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 communication between practitioners to ensure children are always provided with consistent messages about sharing and turn taking  enhance the quality of teaching to ensure all practitioners make the most of opportunities to support each child's individual learning even further during routines and large-group activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and deputy manager of the setting.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Managers have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements and are committed to delivering high standards and continuing to improve this already very good pre-school. Arrangements for the evaluation of practice, professional supervision of staff and target setting drive improvement even further. An astute and well- targeted programme of professional development always focuses on impact for children. This means that the quality of teaching is continually improving to ensure that all children make very good progress from their starting points. An effective system for the analysis of assessment information means that children's potential learning needs are recognised and quickly met.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

All practitioners are experienced and hold appropriate early years qualifications. They use their knowledge of how children learn and their expertise in teaching to provide a good, and on some occasions outstanding range of learning opportunities. Practitioners observe, question and listen perceptively to children, in order to improve their learning. However, during some routines, such as snack time, not all children's learning is fully supported. This is because some practitioners direct their skilfully constructed questions at the whole group. As a result, the more confident children sometimes answer quickly, and other children are not given time to answer. Planning and assessment are precise, sharply focused on each child's needs and effectively shared with all practitioners and parents, so every child makes very good progress from their starting points.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The children enjoy very close, supportive relationships with the staff, who continually praise children and build their self-esteem. As a result, they are extremely confident and self-motivated. There is a calm atmosphere of mutual respect and trust, and children's behaviour is generally very good. However, there are occasions when practitioners do not communicate well with each other to provide consistent messages to support children's usually very good behaviour. For example, practitioners do not always share information with each other when using strategies to help children learn to share equipment. As a result, children's understanding of sharing and turn taking is not always fully supported, to enable them to learn to regulate their own play. Children have plenty of outdoor play, and their good health and physical development are well promoted. Practitioners effectively support children to develop their independence and self-care skills, appropriate to their

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Outcomes for children are good

Practitioners provide challenging experiences for children, with very good opportunities to explore resources, develop their own ideas, persevere and concentrate. Children learn to communicate well, move confidently and develop the personal, social and emotional skills needed in their next stage of learning, including their move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 309477 Local authority Blackpool Inspection number 871860 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider St Marys Pre School Playgroup (Blackpool) Committee Date of previous inspection 19 March 2012 Telephone number 07718 072582

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Setting details

St Mary's Pre-School was registered in 1967. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications from levels 3 to 6. The pre-school opens Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9am until 3pm, and Thursday from 9am until 12 noon, during term time only. It 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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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