Hightown Pre-School

Hightown Pre School Hightown Methodist Church, 45 Hightown Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0BW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 March 2016 Not applicable

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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 well-qualified staff plan and provide a range of appealing experiences that meet children's individual needs and build on their interests.  Leadership is strong. The ambitious owner and manager demonstrate their clear commitment to continuous development. They use effective methods, including questionnaires, to obtain the views of parents. Staff take part in evaluating practice by using a reflective journal. These methods help the leaders to devise detailed action plans to help their ongoing improvement.  Staff embrace opportunities to explore a range of cultures and languages with children. Parents translate key words and provide information, helping staff to plan activities that recognise their special days. These are some of the ways that staff help children to broaden their understanding of diversity beyond their immediate family.  Staff work closely with parents. They translate information into several languages, such

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This provision is good

as ideas to help parents support children's developing language in a bilingual home. The leaders have been instrumental in arranging a childcare course for parents at their request, in order to further assist the consistency in learning between the setting and home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Some staff do not consistently support children to make decisions about how to approach a task or use materials to test their ideas by themselves.  Staff do not make the most use of the opportunities for learning for children who learn best in an outdoor environment.

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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

 expand the opportunities for children to make choices within tasks and think critically, make decisions about how to use materials and test their own ideas  extend opportunities for children to continue their learning when playing outdoors.

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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 owner and manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the safeguarding procedures, staff's training files and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision.  The inspector spoke to a number 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. Staff know the signs and symptoms for concern about children's welfare and how to report them. They supervise children carefully to make sure that they are safe at all times. The owner and the manager implement comprehensive procedures to log and address all safeguarding concerns. The manager applies a programme of performance management which contributes to the development of practice. For example, observation and supervision meetings are used effectively to drive the training plan. Staff attend training frequently. They have broadened their knowledge in, for example, working with two-year-old children. This helps them to address the needs of younger learners. Procedures for staff recruitment and induction are robust. New staff are supported well throughout their probation period of six months.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff meet with parents regularly to review children's progress. They share the observations they have made and identify next steps. They provide written ideas for activities at home as well as ways to help prepare children for school. Staff model language effectively. They use supportive methods, such as visual picture cards and signing, to enhance children's understanding. Small-group story sessions designed at a pace that bilingual children may follow help them to develop concentration and listening skills. Staff welcome external library services into the setting to share stories and provide books for children to take home. These are some of the methods used that help to support children's speech and language skills and their literacy development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children and their parents take part in a series of short visits to the setting as part of the settling-in process. Children show that they feel secure. They move eagerly between well- resourced areas and seek out staff to include them in their play. Staff sensitively help children to learn that good hygiene is important to their health and understand how to meet their own self-care needs. For example, children wash their hands with support from an early age at the handwash stations. They help to wash, prepare and cut up their fruit for snack, closely monitored by staff. They discuss healthy foods that help them to grow strong. These are some activities that help children to understand the importance of meeting their own needs and contribute towards their growing independence.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children enjoy role play where they collaborate with their friends as they develop their games. They are motivated to explore tactile materials, such as shredded paper and sand. Children persist with activities, such as creating cards, and make independent, considered choices as they select materials they want to use. They develop a scrapbook together in which they add photographs they have taken of activities they have enjoyed. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make steady or good progress given their starting points. The manager reviews children's progress to ensure that identified gaps in learning are closed. This helps to ensure that children acquire and practise the skills needed for the next step in their learning, including school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY478827 Local authority Luton Inspection number 991731 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 41 Number of children on roll 53 Name of provider Raffet Begum Pasha Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07728586688

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Setting details

Hightown Pre School was registered in 2014. The provision employs seven members of staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 or 5. Two members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6. The provision opens Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 4.30pm. The provision provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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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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