Stretton Pre-School

Stretton Pre-School Amenity Centre, Main Street, Yaxley, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE7 3LU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 January 2016 7 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 partnerships with parents are good. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and believe their children are safe and well cared for. They are well-informed about their children's learning achievements.  Children have excellent opportunities to learn about the community around them. They go for regular walks, post letters in the letter box and join in with local celebrations, such as Christingle.  Staff provide children with a very safe and secure environment. Rigorous checks are made of the areas used by the children, who are closely supervised as they play.  Children are developing their independence well. They help to prepare their snacks and wash up their plates after eating. Staff encourage children to find their coats and dress themselves appropriately for outdoor activities.  Children enjoy a wide range of activities that help them to develop their early writing skills. They use glue sticks, pencils and paints and make marks with large brushes and

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This provision is good

water. Staff praise older children as they begin to form letters and learn to find their names.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The performance management of staff is not sharply focused on raising the quality of teaching to a higher level.  Staff have not considered how to enable younger children to access the outdoor area according to their preferences. Children who learn more effectively when outdoors are not supported to make the best progress possible.

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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

 strengthen the focus of staff supervision in order to further enhance the quality of teaching and promote children's learning to a higher level  provide more opportunities for children to access the outdoors in order to support those children who learn more effectively in that environment.

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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 site supervisor.  The inspector accompanied some children and staff on a walk around the village.  The inspector held a meeting with the site supervisor and childcare operations manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working with the children.  The inspector spoke to a small 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. All staff attend child protection training. They implement secure procedures for children's safe arrival and collection. Risk assessments are thorough and help to ensure children play in a safe environment. Most staff are qualified and all are well trained in supporting children's care and learning. Recent changes in staffing means that there is a mix of new and well-established staff. Managers operate effective performance management to help to support the new teams and develop staff confidence. Staff and managers have high expectations for the pre- school and enthusiastically attend training to extend their skills. However, as yet there is not such a strong focus on raising their skills in more specific aspects of teaching.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make regular and precise assessments of children's development and use these effectively to plan activities that help children to make good progress in their learning. Children benefit from a wide range of enjoyable and challenging experiences that meet their individual learning needs. Staff support children's communication and language skills well through conversations and story times. Children learn new words as, for example, they find out that jelly wobbles. Staff comment on children's activities and ask questions to help children think hard about what they do and know. Children use their imagination well as they pretend to be jungle animals. Older children demonstrate a good understanding of numbers and shapes. They confidently count each other and spot triangle road signs on their walks. Younger children explore new textures as they paint bubble wrap with coloured glue to make snakeskin patterns.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Settling-in procedures help children to quickly develop their confidence. Staff have recently implemented home visits when children first start. This helps them to learn more about children's families and support a smooth entry into pre-school. During settling-in visits staff are attentive to children's needs and offer friendly reassurance. Children who speak English as an additional language are helped to develop their English. Staff use visual images to help children learn about routines and express their wishes. Children demonstrate good behaviour. Staff teach them about the golden rules and remind them about the importance of taking turns. Children are encouraged to play alongside each other and take part in sharing activities. The pre-school has an interactive relationship with the neighbouring school. Older children develop their physical confidence on the school's large-play equipment and use the school field for exuberant exercise. The pre-

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

school has plentiful resources, which are organised well to help children to make independent choices.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those receiving additional funding, make good progress from their starting points. They develop the key skills they need for the next stage of their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 221870 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 978245 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 53 Number of children on roll 69 Name of provider Stretton Pre-School Date of previous inspection 7 March 2011 Telephone number 01733 248048

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Setting details

Stretton Pre-School opened in 1982. The pre-school is one of two managed by the same committee of parents and management team. The pre-school is open from 9am to 3pm five days a week in school term times. There is a breakfast club from 8am, which is also offered to children attending the neighbouring infant school. The pre-school employs 15 members of staff, including an administrator and a bookkeeper. Of these, nine hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 or 3. The childcare operations manager holds a qualification at level 6 and the site supervisor holds a qualification at level 3. The pre- school accepts children eligible for early education two-, three- and four-year-old funding. It supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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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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