Downside Pre-School

Downside Pre-School Chaul End Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 8EZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 October 2016 30 September 2013

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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 leadership and management of the nursery are superb. The provider and managers' passion, dedication and enthusiasm inspire the well-qualified staff team to constantly strive to improve and build on the already outstanding practice.  All children make consistently rapid progress from their starting points. Staff begin their exceptional tracking of children's development from the information parents provide on entry. This enables them to very quickly identify where development is less than expected and to put in place strategies to help children swiftly catch up.  Children consistently demonstrate their eagerness and enthusiasm for learning. Staff provide a rich, vibrant learning environment where children are highly stimulated. Children's well-being and physical development are extremely well promoted through the significant amount of time spent learning outdoors.  The support for the large number of children who speak English as an additional

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This provision is outstanding

language is excellent. Staff use highly effective strategies to help children develop their confidence and engage in learning. Many staff are able to speak to children in their home language. They carefully choose the times to do this, such as when children need comfort or reassurance.  Books are used in every area of the pre-school. Children learn about different dinosaurs from factual books and they revisit stories through the week in their key groups. Books are also used as a tool to help children understand how to look after their health, such as the importance of cleaning their teeth and visiting the dentist.  Managers precisely evaluate information available to them from the local authority. They analyse children's outcomes at the end of their foundation stage years. They adapt their practice to help the next cohort of children make the best possible progress compared to local and national averages.

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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

 enhance the already outstanding communication with parents to help them to gain an even deeper understanding of how they can support children's learning.

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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 spoke to staff and children at appropriate times.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school managers.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider. She looked at relevant documentation, including the policies, safeguarding information, the pre-school's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working in the pre-school.  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 outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff's excellent knowledge and skilful implementation of safeguarding procedures help to make sure that all children are protected from harm. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure all people working with children are suitable to do so. Excellent programmes for observing staff's practice and supervision meetings help to ensure that the quality of teaching is exceptionally high. The staff team is supported by a highly effective programme of training. The impact of this is very evident in staff's practice. Staff talk passionately about how they are using their new knowledge, such as looking at ways to further develop the outside area. The provider evaluates the provision for children using the views of her staff, parents, children and other professionals.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff are attentive and never miss an opportunity to help children think more deeply or to encourage them to find their own solutions to problems they encounter. Children are excited to build with recycled boxes. Staff help them expand their ideas through highly effective questioning, such as, 'What do we need?' and, 'How can we fix that on?'. Many children have very low starting points in their communication and language development. Staff model language as they play and give children many opportunities to talk in small- group situations. This contributes to children rapidly developing their communication skills. Staff highly value parents as partners and place the highest priority on working with them. Communication between home and the pre-school is excellent and contributes significantly to the progress children make. Staff have identified how they can make this even more effective.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff place an exceptionally high emphasis on promoting children's emotional well-being and are skilled in supporting children during settling-in times. Staff, and the family support worker from the local children's centre, visit children in their homes. This helps them to gain a thorough understanding of both children's and families' needs. Children are developing excellent attitudes to learning and are extremely confident and self-assured. They proudly show how they can climb and balance on equipment outdoors. They learn to steer bicycles around obstacles and they enjoy following instructions to turn right and left. Staff are vigilant in managing safety and the security of the environment and resources. In addition, they give children many opportunities to think for themselves. For example, they help children to consider what could happen if they leave coats or toys on the floor.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children make excellent progress from their starting points and are exceptionally well prepared for learning at school. They demonstrate an aptitude for numbers and mathematical language from an early age. For example, young children spend time lining up toy vehicles and counting them. Staff support children to write for a purpose, such as encouraging them to use the appointment book and writing patient's notes in the role play doctor's surgery.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY271008 Local authority Luton Inspection number 1064480 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 94 Name of registered person Shagufta Anwar

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 September 2013 Telephone number 01582592021

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reference number

Downside Pre-School was registered in 2003. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, from 8.45am until 3.30pm, during school term time. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school supports 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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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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