The Little School

The Little School Village Hall, West Meon, Petersfield, GU32 1LH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 July 2016 Not applicable

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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

 The manager and staff team have a highly ambitious vision for this outstanding provision. They foster and respect children as individuals and strive to ensure that all children, regardless of their starting points, can fulfil their potential.  Staff use parents' expert knowledge of their children to assess children's progress accurately from the beginning. They rigorously monitor children's learning to identify and swiftly address any gaps in their development. All children make rapid progress from their starting points.  Children behave exceptionally well. They quickly learn to negotiate and resolve their own disputes. The staff team offers highly exceptional and affectionate care. This enables children to form extremely secure emotional attachments with other children and the staff team.  Staff place a high priority on developing children's language skills. For example, they interact exceptionally well with all children at a level appropriate to their understanding.

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This provision is outstanding

Furthermore, staff are extremely responsive to children and introduce descriptive words to extend children's vocabulary during routines and activities.  The manager and staff have developed highly effective partnerships with parents, local schools and other early years providers. They prepare children extremely well for a successful move on to the next stage in their learning.

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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

 continue to build on professional development opportunities, to enhance the already excellent quality of teaching.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the pre-school and invited the manager to take part in a joint observation.  The inspector observed the quality of staff interactions with children.  The inspector held discussions with the managers, provider and staff at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures, risk assessments, staff training records, records of children and evidence of the suitability of staff.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. The manager prioritises children's safety and ensures that all staff have a thorough understanding of child protection procedures. Self-evaluation is comprehensive. The inspiring manager sets extremely high standards and reflects constantly on practice to drive improvements. For example, following evaluation, children take part in highly effective learning experiences to enhance their literacy skills. The manager carefully monitors the exceptional quality of teaching. She is very keen to enhance opportunities for professional development, to support staff in refining their teaching and raising the quality of their practice to an even higher level. Parents provide excellent feedback on the outstanding quality of care and learning provided.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The highly experienced staff team knows children exceptionally well. It accurately observes and assesses children's learning, skilfully tailors experiences and adapts learning activities to meet the needs and abilities of all children. Staff are extremely attentive to children's play. They nurture children's interests, consistently enhance their thinking skills and enable them to find their own solutions. For example, children showed excellent problem solving skills as they hunted for natural resources to construct a plank for their pirate ship. The excellent teaching helps children to extend their own ideas so that they are highly eager to learn more. For example, children predicted and excitedly acted out the end of a story, showing excellent imagination.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff are excellent role models. For example, they listen to children, consistently challenge them to succeed and praise their achievements. Children thoroughly enjoy regular outings in the local area and learn a great deal about a range of cultures and beliefs. For example, they compare and contrast different houses when walking in the community, and have great opportunities to collect water from across the field, using natural resources. Staff are highly effective in encouraging children to think about personal risks. For example, they actively involve children in risk assessment and incorporate road safety through exciting play experiences.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are highly confident, capable and develop excellent independence skills. They are beginning to recognise and write their names and other familiar words and numbers. Staff use every opportunity to help children to count and solve practical problems as they play. Children excitedly explore and investigate their world. For example, they look under logs and discuss the different insects with genuine interest. They develop the skills they need to secure future learning and prepare them for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY485240 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 1002419 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 14 Number of children on roll 10 Name of registered person Gemma Jean Kate O'Reilly

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07572589548

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reference number

The Little School re-registered in 2015 under new ownership. It is one of two settings in the local area privately owned by the same provider. It operates from the village hall in West Meon, Hampshire. The setting opens during term time on Monday and Wednesday from 9.15am to 3.15pm and on Friday from 9.15am to 12.15pm. The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are two members of staff, who both hold an early years qualification to level3.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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