Hertford Heath Preschool

Hertford Heath Preschool Hertford Heath School, Woodland Road, Hertford Heath, SG13 7QW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 November 2016 Not applicable

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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

 All staff show a strong commitment to making improvements and ongoing staff training to provide good outcomes for children. The ongoing action plan identifies areas for improvement and staff evaluate the effectiveness of changes made.  Children play in a safe and secure environment. Staff are effectively deployed to provide children with the appropriate supervision to help keep them safe.  Children settle quickly into the setting. Staff develop close relationships with new parents and children, helping them to feel confident and safe.  Partnership working with parents is effective. For example, staff share information with parents about children's progress and encourage them to contribute and share what they know about their children. This helps to support continuity in children's learning.  Children make good progress. The manager monitors children's development effectively to help identify any gaps in their learning. Staff work successfully with external

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This provision is good

agencies and other providers to help support children with identified needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always give younger children enough time to use spoken language to express themselves and older children time to organise and express their thinking and ideas.  The lack of sufficient good quality materials and media outdoors restricts children's opportunities to be imaginative when they so choose.

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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

 provide more opportunities for younger children to use speech to connect ideas and older children to organise, sequence and clarify their thinking and ideas  review the materials and media available for children to access outdoors to support their interests in pretend play.

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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 talked with staff, children and the manager at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, and checked evidence of the suitability checks and qualifications of staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents by viewing completed questionnaires and from those parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector evaluated an observed activity with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The manager has a strong knowledge of the safeguarding procedures. She ensures all staff understand the signs that indicate a child's welfare may be at risk. The manager ensures staff are vigilant to help protect children's safety and welfare. She uses rigorous recruitment procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. The manager provides effective support and guidance to staff to continue to develop their skills. For example, she regularly observes their practice, holds regular supervision meetings and offers them relevant training opportunities. The manager uses additional funding effectively to support the needs of individual children. For example, she has purchased additional resources to support children's language development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff observe and assess children's development to enable them to plan what children need to learn next. Staff teach children to take risks and develop their physical skills. For example, they encourage children to build a wooden walkway, which children extend by adding more wooden planks, so that they can balance even further. The delight in the positive encouragement they receive from staff for their efforts and repeat their actions. Managers and staff are good role models. Children learn to play cooperatively together, to take turns and show respect for each other. Staff help children to investigate different textures. For example, older children explore, leaves, conkers and pine cones. Younger children show surprise and wonder as they manipulate paint and dough with their hands.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children form close bonds with their key person and seek them out when they need help or reassurance. Children have good opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. For example, they participate in activities that enhance their awareness of food that is good for their bodies. The show great excitement when it is their turn to take home Carly Carrot, Sophie Strawberry, Benni Banana and Bobby Broccoli. They then share the healthy experiences they had with them when they return to pre-school. Children play outside daily and have a positive attitude to exercise. Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about people's differences and similarities, and encourage them to respect and value others. Children have regular opportunities to learn about the natural world as they have frequent visits from the animal sanctuary. For example, they take turns holding stick insects and a millipede and learn about their habitats.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop good foundations for their future learning in school. They are interested in early writing. For example, older children learn to write their name and younger child make marks in the sand and flour. Children are confident, sociable and become increasingly independent. Children persevere in solving puzzles and sort, match and count as they play. Books are readily available and all children enjoy listening to, and joining in with, stories.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY478248 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 988104 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 16 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Hertford Heath Preschool Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07796403615

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reference number

Hertford Heath Preschool was registered in 2014 and is located in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 2 and the manager holds a qualification at level 6. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday term time only between 11.50am and 3pm and children attend for a variety of sessions. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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