Sunbeams Pre-School

Sunbeams Pre-School Bedwell Crescent, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 1NA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 November 2015 16 April 2013

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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 consistent 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, such as starting school.  Staff develop strong partnerships with parents. They provide resources and ideas for activities that they share with parents to extend children's learning at home. Achievements made at home and current interests and events are included in well- planned learning for each child.  Staff work well with other professionals who support children. They share detailed information and carefully follow any guidance provided. Their attention to working with supportive agencies helps disabled children and those with special educational needs make good progress in their learning.

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This provision is good

 Leadership is strong. The owners, manager and staff work well together and are committed to developing the setting. Thorough self-evaluation leads to relevant improvements. Staff have diligently addressed recommendations made at the last inspection.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not work as effectively as possible with all other settings that children attend, to provide continuity in children's learning and enhance progress even further.  Some staff do not consistently support children to make decisions about how to approach a task or test their ideas by themselves.

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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

 build on the partnerships with other childcare settings that children attend to more effectively support continuity in their learning  expand the opportunities for children to make choices within tasks and think critically, making decisions about how to use materials and testing their own ideas.

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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 manager and discussed their findings.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and owner. 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 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

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Managers and staff incorporate child protection throughout all areas of practice. They work together to review the policies and practice in the pre-school, demonstrating a clear knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is a clear programme of performance management that contributes towards staff's good practice. This includes peer observations that add to the staff development files and training plans. Recruitment and induction are robust. New staff are monitored closely during their probation period to help to ensure good quality practice in the setting. Staff generally work well in partnership with other providers, such as nurseries and schools when children move on. However, they are yet to fully establish relationships with other settings that children attend with whom they have no direct contact.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use their knowledge of children and how they learn to enhance their teaching methods. They provide opportunities for children to practise the skills they are acquiring. Staff carefully question children and give them clear explanations that improve their learning. Children also benefit from specially designed programmes and individual activities that enhance their communication and language development significantly. Children can play with a wide selection of materials to help them to write and draw, indoors and outside. They eagerly share books with each other and staff before retelling their favourite story using props. This enriches their interest in literacy. Staff provide opportunities for children to independently carry out tasks, such as making dough. On occasions, however, some staff do not make the most of these opportunities to support children in making choices and testing their ideas independently.

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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 after wiping their noses at the specially designed station. Children are active. Staff plan carefully for outdoor play to make sure they provide for all the different areas of learning. Children have a vegetable garden where they help to grow food to eat and take home. Children behave well. Staff are positive role models and show children how to treat others and have respect for each other. Children learn to care for their community. They take part in picking up litter in the local area and take part in recycling which shows them how to care for the environment. Children join together to develop golden rules that they all learn to follow.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are motivated and persist with activities. Managers' astute reviews of children's progress enable them to efficiently highlight any weaker areas in their learning. They then act swiftly to introduce activities that successfully support children's learning and so close any gaps. The manager makes good use of additional funding provided to ensure that resources and specific opportunities for children promote good progress for all children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY100973 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1028012 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 20 Name of provider Katherine Taylor Date of previous inspection 16 April 2013 Telephone number 07814 041 457

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Setting details

Sunbeams Pre-School was registered in 2002. The pre-school employs seven members of staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. The qualifications include one member of staff with Early Years Teacher status and another with a qualification at level 6. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday in term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 12 noon. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children. The pre-school cares for disabled children 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

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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