St Michaels Pre-School

St Michaels Pre-School 258 Lower Farnham Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 3RB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 April 2016 28 April 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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 manager has a clear understanding of the strengths and areas for further development within the pre-school. Self-evaluation is accurate.  Parents are highly positive about the caring and supportive staff at the pre-school.  Children behave well. They know the pre-school rules and understand why they are in place. They show respect for the teachers and have good manners.  Children are kept safe and secure. Staff supervise children well and ensure the premises are checked for hazards on a daily basis.  The quality of teaching is consistently good. Staff share information with each other on a daily basis, which helps them meet the children's individual needs.  Children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in their learning and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Managers do not identify clear development points to help staff improve their teaching practice further.  Leaders and managers are not tracking the progress made by some groups of children, such as those for whom they receive additional funding.

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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

 ensure that monitoring identifies clear development points for staff to help them enhance the quality of teaching so that it is consistently of a very high quality  develop the systems in place to monitor the progress made by all groups of children, including those for whom the setting receives additional funding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with parents and took their views into account.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching and children's learning, both inside and outdoors.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the pre-school manager.  The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times throughout the day.  The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager.  The inspector sampled the pre-school's documentation, including staff suitability checks, training and supervision records and children's development folders.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The experienced manager is a reflective practitioner. A strong team has been developed since the last inspection. Staff share responsibility for the pre-school and this promotes a sense of ownership across the team. For example, all take the role of room leader and are involved in planning meetings. Daily team briefings before the sessions start ensure that all staff are up-to-date with any pre-school news. Managers ensure that staff have opportunities to meet them individually to discuss children for whom they are responsible and their own personal effectiveness. Managers also oversee the quality of staff's assessments of children's learning and development and carry out observations of staff's teaching. However, their evaluations do not lead to incisive areas for development to drive further improvements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff ensure that the educational programme offers good opportunities for children to develop in all areas of learning. The outdoor area is well resourced and well used. Staff interact with the children effectively, speaking clearly and asking open-ended questions that encourage children to think. Assessments are accurate and based on observations of what children know and can do. This information is used to plan a wide range of interesting activities to meet children's individual needs. Any potential gaps in children's learning are identified and addressed. There is a strong focus on teaching the basics well, especially communication and language skills. Children that need additional help with their communication skills are well supported through targeted activities. However, managers are not yet tracking the progress of vulnerable groups to ensure attainment gaps are closing.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The environment is welcoming and interesting for the children. They are developing their independent skills well. For example they freely access resources that they want to incorporate into their play, such as more plates for cakes in the role play area. A simple traffic light system allows children to discover for themselves when they can access the outdoor area and when it is time to tidy up. Children form warm relationships with staff and approach them readily for assistance when needed. Parents are invited to share their views on their children's development at meetings with their children's key workers.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are developing the skills they need in readiness for moving on to school. They are growing in confidence and building friendships. They play and explore happily and are keen to learn. Most children are developing good speaking and listening skills. They communicate their needs clearly and understand simple instructions. They are learning to be helpful and polite. Following the last inspection, staff have reviewed the opportunities for children to learn about mathematics, which are now good. For example, children count pieces of fruit at snack time and more able children work out how many more 'cakes' they need to fill all the paper cases. They learn about the importance of healthy diet and exercise and enjoy making up their own running games in the outdoor area.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 110276 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 1037528 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 - 5 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 60 Name of provider St Michaels Pre School Aldershot Committee Date of previous inspection 28 April 2015 Telephone number 01252 337687

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Setting details

St Michael's Pre-School registered in 1996. It operates from within a church hall in Aldershot. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school is open term time only. Morning sessions are from 9am to 12 noon, Monday to Friday, and from 12.45pm until 3.45pm, Monday to Thursday. A team of eight members of staff are employed to work with children, all of whom have appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The pre-school also has an administrator.

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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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