Slip End Preschool

Slip End Preschool The Village Hall, Markyate Road, Slip End, LUTON, Bedfordshire, LU1 4BU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 October 2016 21 January 2016

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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

 Staff and managers have completed further training, with the support of the committee they have reviewed daily practice and implemented a comprehensive programme of improvements. This has played a significant part in developing the pre-school since the last inspection and ensuring that all changes are sustainable.  Managers support staff to use new knowledge gained from training. They now successfully incorporate each child's interests and next developmental steps into the activity planning. Children enjoy a wide variety of activities that challenges them and helps them to develop the knowledge and skills essential for starting school.  Staff are good role models and work sensitively with children. They take account of each child's understanding and help them to manage their behaviour. Children happily share the resources and show kindness and respect for one another.  Managers carefully assess each child's progress in order to quickly note any weaker

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This provision is good

areas. They work with staff to take prompt action to address these. For example, they now offer children further activities and resources that support their knowledge of numbers and counting.  Staff support parents well in extending their children's learning. For example, key persons formulate individual learning plans for each child. These are shared with parents and include detailed information about simple activities to try at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Children are not always offered opportunities that support them in making marks and developing their early writing skills.  Staff do not always offer as many outdoor learning opportunities, in order to fully extend the development of those children who prefer to learn in this 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

 extend the opportunities that support children in making marks and developing their early writing skills  enhance the use of the outdoor area to offer children who prefer to learn outside further play and learning opportunities.

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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 held meetings with the manager (who is also the nominated person) and the deputy manager. She had a telephone discussion with a representative of the management committee.  The inspector talked with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. She completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as the self-evaluation information and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager and deputy manager use their childcare qualifications and their newly acquired management qualifications well to support their work. Their improved supervision procedures mean that they now effectively support staff in developing their practice and thereby improving the way in which they support children. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff regularly refresh their training in this area and efficiently work in partnership with statutory agencies to promote children's welfare. Staff and the committee have worked together to prioritise and implement improvements. Their enhanced ongoing evaluation of the pre-school supports them in this. Staff work well with other childcare providers so that children move smoothly between settings. Managers have a good understanding of children's needs and make effective use of additional funding.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff offer children interesting activities and adapt these to suit each child. For example, children enjoy adding pasta to water and noting how it changes. Older children develop their language and mathematical skills as they describe the changes in texture and look at the different sizes. With support from staff, younger children count the pasta pieces and talk about eating pasta at home. Staff have developed their teaching skills and make good use of open-ended questions, encouraging children to think further. For example, when children identify the shapes they have made with coloured dough, a staff member questions what will happen if they join the shapes. The children become engrossed as they do this, eagerly naming the new shapes and creatively describing the rockets, ships and houses they could make with these.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Improved procedures for working with parents mean that staff now gather substantial information from them. For example, the newly implemented home visits enable staff to assess children and understand their needs. They use this information to help children settle and to inform the assessment of their progress. Staff offer children opportunities to share their ideas and show other children their work. This supports children in becoming confident in communicating and they also learn to celebrate their achievements and learning. This sensitive daily interaction promotes children's positive attitudes and builds their emotional stability in readiness for school. Children gain a good understanding about how to keep themselves healthy. During cooking activities, staff initiate discussions about a healthy diet and the importance of washing their hands before touching food.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress. Staff support children well and help them to develop skills that underpin their learning and prepare them for school. Children learn to play independently and also work together in groups. Group work particularly supports children who have special educational needs or disability and those who speak English as an additional language. For example, children learn to take turns and to support each other as they use a simple computer programme. They develop key social and communication skills that support their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219242 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 1037602 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 24 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Slip End Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 21 January 2016 Telephone number 07949676736

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reference number

Slip End Preschool was registered in 2001. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 2, and six hold qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday during term time only. Sessions are on Monday and Tuesday from 9am until 3pm, on Thursday from 9am until 12.30pm and on Friday from 9am until 2.30pm. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. They provide care for children who have special educational needs or disability and children who speak English as an additional language.

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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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