Ladybirds Pre-School

Ladybirds Pre-School Leavenheath Leavenheath Village Hall, Wrights Way, Leavenheath, Colchester, Essex, CO6 4NR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 October 2015 31 March 2011

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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 pre-school has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Staff build good relationships with parents. Parents all comment that their children are very happy and settled at the pre-school.  Staff are well qualified and use their knowledge to promote children's learning and development. Children learn a letter each week in small-group sessions. They each bring in an object from home to share with the group that begins with the letter of the week.  Children learn about the world around them through nature walks in the local woods. They gather natural objects to explore and use in activities at the pre-school.  The pre-school has built strong partnerships with other settings, including local schools that children move on to. The management team liaise closely with the committee, enabling ideas to be shared and incorporating parents' and children's views.  Children thrive in the warm and caring environment. Every child is valued and their self-

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This provision is good

esteem is boosted through praise and encouragement.  Staff use every opportunity to support children's development in mathematics. Children learn concepts of behind, in front of, under and over. They use natural materials collected from the woods and search for hidden plastic insects and animals.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not make the best use of opportunities for children to develop their early writing skills.

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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 more opportunities for children to develop their early writing skills.

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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 nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as, the children's learning journeys, policies and procedures and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The management team, along with the committee, use self-evaluation to accurately assess further development and improvements for the pre-school. This includes the variety of learning opportunities and quality of teaching. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about the welfare and safety of a child. The manager uses an established system of observation and supervision to identify training needs. All staff have a clear programme of professional development to extend their knowledge and skills. This has a positive impact on outcomes for children. The quality of teaching is consistently good and staff have a clear understanding of how children learn and develop. Senior staff are good role models in the pre-school room, demonstrating strong practice to the staff.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The quality of teaching is strong. Staff use questioning effectively to develop children's thinking and extend their learning. Staff use regular observations and precise assessment to plan interesting and challenging experiences for the children. This enables staff to effectively identify children's next steps in learning. Parents are well informed and are actively involved in their children's learning. Developing language and communication skills is a high priority in the pre-school and staff reinforce children's learning through repetition. Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their language in small-group activities. In an art and craft activity, children were learning which colours mix together to make the colour orange. Staff introduce new words, for example, mixing and blending, as well as reinforcing words children are not yet pronouncing clearly. At times, staff do not provide opportunities for children to develop their early writing skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are motivated to learn. Children engage in all activities and sit for concentrated periods of time. Children learn to respect and understand others' differences through activities and stories incorporating many different festivals. Children take an active role in story sessions, a child plays the part of the little owl, while holding the owl puppet and repeating the words from the story. Children behave well and receive consistent, clear boundaries for behaviour. Children are taught the skills of sharing, taking turns and negotiating fairly with each other when they do disagree. Children listen carefully and respond when staff ask questions to extend their learning. The key-person system is firmly embedded in the pre-schools' practice. This works effectively in engaging parents in their children's learning and development. Staff have built good relationships with the children and know the children very well.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children are making good progress from their starting points. Staff quickly identify any gaps in children's learning and effective support is provided. Staff promote children's independence and self-confidence, which prepares children for their next steps in learning and for moving on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251547 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 866542 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 19 Name of provider Ladybirds Pre School Committee Date of previous inspection 31 March 2011 Telephone number 07846 604177

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Setting details

Ladybirds Pre-School Leavenheath was registered in 1990. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens Monday, Thursday and Friday term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who speak English as an additional language, children with disabilities and those with special educational needs.

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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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