Smarties Pre-School

Smarties Pre-School Norton Canes Community Centre, Brownhills Road, Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 9SF

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 February 2016 17 June 2015

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 The management team consists of two joint owners, both of whom are effective in taking responsibility for the quality of teaching, learning and assessments. Staff understand the purpose of and use a wide range of teaching strategies, ensuring that children make good progress.  Staff build effective relationships with children by giving them verbal reassurance, smiles, praise and by playing alongside them and sharing their ideas. Children have a strong sense of security and belonging within the pre-school.  Children's health and well-being are fully promoted. They have lots of time and space indoors to practise and develop their large-muscle movements. Children take manageable risks in their play as they use the sit-and-ride trucks, scooters and sit-on jump and bounce balls. This, along with healthy snacks and drinks, ensures children are focused and ready to learn.  The pre-school seeks the views of parents, children and staff. They have developed

p.1

This provision is good

links with the local authority advisors, including those who support disabled children and those with special educational needs. These help to identify effective targets and drive forward ongoing improvements that benefit the children attending.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not provide enough opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to use their home language during their play.  Some children's learning and development observations are not regularly shared with the other settings they attend. As a result, planned next steps in the child's learning are not consistently promoted between settings.

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

 provide more opportunities for all children who speak English as an additional language to develop and use their home language in their play  strengthen partnership working, ensuring there are robust communication links with all the other settings children may attend to enable regular sharing of all children's learning and development observations, so that children's needs are quickly identified and exceptionally well met.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and the planning documentation.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager who is also the provider.  The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the pre-school's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day of the inspection.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have had training on how to be alert to any issues for concern in the child's life at home or elsewhere. They are aware of the procedure they must follow if they have concerns that a child is suffering from abuse. Staff's training needs are identified and their practice is monitored to ensure children receive good quality teaching to promote their good progress. Parents are well informed about their child's experience at pre-school. This helps to involve parents in their children's learning and helps ensure their individual needs are met.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have undertaken training on how to meet the needs of two-year-old children. They provide regular planned opportunities for these children to develop their speech. For instance, children are encouraged to practise a range of tongue movements in a fun and relaxed way. During such activities, the key person models the appropriate tongue action and sound. Children show real pleasure as they copy her and fully engage in the session. Older children enjoy playing a memory game where they have to match picture cards. They remain focussed and take it in turns to find the matching pairs. Each child is praised for their attempts, thereby, developing their self-confidence. The key person develops children's communication skills by introducing new vocabulary and using questions that challenge them to think. The managers check the activities provided to make sure all relevant areas of learning are included in the planning. Staff regularly assess children's

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

achievements and any gaps in children's learning are quickly identified and set as a focus. Children develop positive relationships with members of the local community. They have regular walks to the village where they visit shops, such as the bakery. Children develop a wide range of skills and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, such as school.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are encouraged to make decisions together. Children take it in turns to place a token in one of the two buckets on top of the construction sets. Once finished, staff count the tokens together with the children, promoting their numeracy development. The bucket with the most tokens is the construction set they will play with first. Children enjoy playing outdoors in the enclosed playground and in the nearby fields where they are encouraged to interact with the natural environment.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who are funded and those who speak English as an additional language, are making best progress in their learning. They benefit from teaching that is consistently good and focuses on them achieving their full potential. Disabled children and those with special educational needs are monitored and supported, so that they make good progress from their starting points.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 218223 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 1020546 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 22 Name of provider Karen Sheehy and Patricia Wright Partnership Date of previous inspection 17 June 2015 Telephone number 07971 394974

p.4

Setting details

Smarties Pre-School was registered in 1998. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff, including the two managers. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during school term time. Sessions are from 8.30am until 1pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language, disabled children and those with special educational needs.

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