Uplands Pre-School

Uplands Pre-School Uplands Community Centre, Ashburnham Way, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 8LJ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 December 2015 28 September 2011

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Teaching is exceptional. Staff successfully support and promote children's development and have high expectations of what children can accomplish. Activities are differentiated extremely well to provide varying levels of challenge, taking into account the differing needs of children who attend.  Children are developing excellent attitudes to learning and are extremely confident and self-assured. Staff are skilled in supporting children during settling-in times and prepare children excellently for their move to school.  Partnerships with parents are outstanding. Staff regularly inform parents about the progress their children make and provide excellent information about how learning can be continued at home. Parents speak passionately about the pre-school and with high admiration for the staff.  Caring staff provide children with excellent opportunities to practise their independence skills.  The manager and staff very successfully drive improvement. There is a targeted and

p.1

This provision is outstanding

astute programme of self-evaluation and professional development which sharply focuses on improving outcomes for children. This helps to continually raise the quality of the service provided.  Children are very happy and their behaviour is exemplary. Children's self-esteem is enhanced. Staff take all opportunities to positively praise children, regardless of how small their achievement may be.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 continue to enhance the exceptional outdoor learning environment, especially for those children who prefer to learn outside.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed all areas of the premises used by children including the outdoor environment.  The inspector engaged in discussions with the staff and children throughout the inspection at appropriate times.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and spoke with the staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of inspection.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Extremely detailed policies and procedures are successfully implemented to promote a very safe environment for children. Children are very well supervised at all times and staff confidently explain what action they would take if they had a concern about children's welfare. Excellent programmes for staff supervision help to ensure that the quality of teaching at the pre-school is exceptionally high. Excellent partnerships with other professionals ensure that children's individual needs are recognised and consistently met. Staff are highly skilled in sharing relevant information, in order to optimise children's learning and development. Staff have well- established links with the local primary schools. Children who speak English as an additional language and disabled children and those with special educational needs are supported extremely well. They are supported through positive interactions and guided

p.3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

through detailed planning, which is adapted to meet their individual needs.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

All children, from the youngest to the oldest, and of differing abilities, thrive in this stimulating pre-school. Staff have an excellent knowledge of how children learn. They use this knowledge to provide highly motivating experiences for children. Staff are sharply focused on observing what children can do and support children very well, following precise assessments. This helps children make rapid progress in their learning from their starting points. Children imaginatively express their ideas through a range of art and craft activities that have been carefully planned by staff to support children's interests. Staff expertly question and talk to children, encouraging them to think for themselves. Staff support children's mathematical development exceptionally well as they increase their awareness of shapes, colours, numbers and size during daily activities. Older children practise their writing skills during daily activities. These opportunities help children to learn

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

skills they need to prepare them for their move to school.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff provide an exceptionally well-resourced outdoor area. This helps children to develop their growing understanding of the world and provides them with excellent opportunities to help develop their exploratory skills. The staff team has identified that they want to enhance the already inspirational outdoor environment. They are putting plans into place to provide further outdoor learning opportunities for children who prefer to learn outdoors. Staff engage children in exercise and yoga classes. This helps children to develop their coordination and physical abilities. Staff develop a depth of knowledge about children and their families. This effectively helps them to support children to form stable emotional attachments and excellent bonds with staff.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children make excellent progress in all areas of their learning and development. Children's learning is monitored exceptionally well to track the progress of different groups of children, including disabled children and those with special educational needs. This helps staff to identify and address any gaps in learning swiftly.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 251701 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 854788 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 56 Name of provider Uplands Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 28 September 2011 Telephone number 01502 513329

p.4

Setting details

Uplands Pre-School was registered in 1993. The pre-school employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.15am until 3.45pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Setting details

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5