Little Oaks Pre-School

Little Oaks Pre-School Brackley C of E Junior School, Manor Road, Brackley, Northamptonshire, NN13 6EE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 February 2016 28 January 2009

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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

 Staff use what they know about children to challenge their learning effectively. Accurate observation and assessment lead to planning for future learning that is based on a good knowledge of each child and their family.  Leadership and management are effective in evaluating the quality of the provision and securing continuous improvement.  Partnerships between staff and parents are strong, ensuring that they work successfully together to meet children's care and learning needs.  Staff liaise with other providers to ensure progression and continuity of learning and care. They work closely with external services to ensure that children get any additional support they need.  Children make good progress in their communication and language development. Small-group times are organised effectively to provide additional support for children's early speaking skills.  Children's pre-writing physical skills are promoted effectively. For example, younger

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This provision is good

children strengthen their arm and hand muscles while playing with dough and older children skilfully thread small pieces of pasta onto string to make necklaces.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not fully support children's knowledge of the wider world. Children's understanding of people, families, communities and traditions beyond their own is not fully extended through the experiences that staff provide.  On occasions, staff do not inspire children to explore and experiment with different media, materials and tools.

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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

 extend opportunities for children to gain a greater awareness of similarities and differences, and an understanding of different people in the wider world  increase the opportunities for children to use a range of media and materials that inspires exploration and experimentation.

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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.  The inspector held meetings with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working in the setting.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Safety and security of the premises are addressed well. Procedures for staff recruitment, selection and induction are robust and vetting procedures for staff meet requirements. Staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. As part of effective self-evaluation procedures, the manager obtains views from staff and parents about what is working well and what could be improved. The manager observes staff practice and staff observe each other in order to identify strong practice and areas for improvement. This is discussed during staff supervision meetings and targeted training needs are identified. Recent training has helped staff to extend their understanding of the different needs of two-year-old children. Staff are motivated to extend their knowledge and level of qualification.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff ensure that they are aware of children's starting points for learning. Children acquire the skills and the capacity to learn that they need to reach the next steps in their development. They make good progress. Older children chat happily with their friends while they join together to act out their own experiences, such as pretending to be mums and dads. They are learning to link sounds and letters and pencil control is developing well. Older children recognise their own names in print and they are encouraged to write their names on artwork. All children have access to a very good variety of books. Younger children enjoy listening to a favourite story about a caterpillar. Their interest is enhanced as all children in the small group have their own copy of the book, and props are used effectively by staff. Children's early speaking skills are promoted extremely well as they are all encouraged to make comments about the story.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy and settled and relationships between staff and children are very good. Their emotional security begins with a good settling-in procedure that is agreed with parents in accordance with their child's needs. Children's independence is promoted well by staff. They are encouraged to manage tasks for themselves and they easily select resources from well-organised storage. Children develop an understanding of dangers and how to keep themselves safe, such as knowing why they can run outside but must walk inside. They understand and adopt healthy habits, and learn about healthy eating. Parents provide packed lunches and staff support children to identify and eat the healthiest options first. Children are physically active. Older children are challenged effectively to practise balancing and moving their bodies in different ways over an obstacle course. Children behave well. Staff boost children's self-esteem as they offer meaningful praise for

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Outcomes for children are good

Children's learning builds successfully on what they already know and can do. Staff track children's ongoing progress and, in partnership with parents, plan for the next stage in their learning. All children make good progress in readiness for their move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219985 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 854533 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 108 Name of provider Little Oaks Committee Date of previous inspection 28 January 2009 Telephone number 01280 840201

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Setting details

Little Oaks Pre-School opened in 1967. It employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 6. The pre-school opens term time only from Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 9am until 3.45pm. 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, 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

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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