Sunbeams Preschool and Nursery

Sunbeams St. Nicks 59 Canterbury Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 4LJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27 April 2016 2 March 2011

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Leadership is exceptionally strong. The management and staff are committed to continuous improvement. They critically evaluate their practice using, amongst other methods, personal reflection logs. Staff use a wealth of highly effective strategies to obtain the views of parents and children, which make a significant contribution to ongoing improvement and self-evaluation.  The exceptionally competent, well-qualified staff have an astute understanding of how children learn and they accurately assess their development. This helps them provide a range of highly stimulating experiences that meets children's individual needs and offers unique levels of challenge that inspire them to learn.  Staff work in a commendable manner with parents. The parents' forum meets regularly with staff to review areas of play and learning to promote further improvement. In addition, staff provide innovative home-learning packs and ideas for parents which

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This provision is outstanding

considerably help to extend children's development when at home.  Children play a key role in making choices about their day. They make decisions regarding the resources to be set up in several areas in the provision. They have excellent opportunities to express their opinions, guide their own learning and be involved in the provision. They proudly choose which items to attach to their personal display boards.  Staff provide extensive support to parents and children during settling-in periods. For example, staff welcome families to stay-and-play sessions and visit children in their own home. Children quickly form remarkably trusting relationships with their key persons and other staff. They are exceptionally confident and enthusiastic.

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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

 build further on the excellent opportunities provided for children to explore technology and find out how things work, challenging their progress even more.

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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 co-owner and discussed their findings.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and co-owner. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the provision's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision.  The inspector spoke to some parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff give child protection a high priority in all areas of practice to help them keep children safe. The management team applies an insightful programme of performance management which contributes significantly to the exceptionally strong quality of practice. For example, peer observation is used highly effectively to inform and drive a sharply focused training plan. Staff are deeply committed to their own professional development and attend a vast range of training courses. They identify and display personal targets for improvement. Procedures for staff recruitment and induction are particularly strong. These help maintain the superb staff practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Teaching is inspirational. Staff provide an environment and activities which significantly enhance children's eagerness to learn. For example, children excitedly sing and dance during the weekly French session. They benefit from specially designed programmes and individual activities with the staff specialist. These help enhance their communication and language development significantly. Staff consistently support children's independence in their learning. For instance, children follow a sequence of pictures to make their own dough, adding glitter or colour as they choose. They also experiment with texture in paint and glue, such as adding oats or salt. Staff help children think critically and support them to make rapid progress. The manager has identified further ways to continue challenging children, such as offering even more exciting activities to enable them to carry on finding out about how things work, extending their already excellent opportunities to use

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff offer rich and imaginative experiences for children, both indoors and outside. The exceptionally stimulating outdoor area gives children abundant opportunities for active play. Children freely explore a wealth of natural materials. They search for items to make a 'jungle' for their model animals and develop a natural wooded copse into a 'cave' or 'fairy castle'. Staff incorporate innovative ideas for children to learn about the world around them. One of these ideas is an environmental programme. Children develop their own action plan to collect water, think about the use of electricity, pick up litter and look at biodiversity. Children learn about the benefits of exercise. Some of the opportunities that support this are daily activity groups, such as ballet, yoga and keep-fit sessions.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children become totally absorbed in their self-chosen play and work exceptionally well with others. For example, they decide to build a boat using crates, a tarpaulin and lengths of timber. They talk through their ideas and consider how they can attach the pieces together. Children show exceptional perseverance as they work through their project. The management team completes astute reviews of children's progress, in order to highlight and address any weaker areas in their learning. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress in their learning. They are exceptionally well prepared for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY243400 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 848327 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 29 Number of children on roll 37 Name of provider Katherine Taylor Date of previous inspection 2 March 2011 Telephone number 07814 041457

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Setting details

Sunbeams St. Nicks was registered in 2002. The provision employs eight members of staff. Of these, seven members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2, 3, 5 or 6 and one holds early years teacher status. The provision opens Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions on Monday and Tuesday are from 9am to 3.05pm. Sessions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are from 9am to midday. The provision provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It also provides care for 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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