St Mark's Little Birds Pre- school

St Mark's Little Birds Pre- school St. Marks Primary School, High Street, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2PH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 November 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 inspirational leadership of the manager and a total commitment to teamwork from all the staff drive the exceptionally high-quality care and learning at this pre-school. Staff are confident to challenge and adapt routines and are not afraid to use new skills to improve outcomes for children.  Staff are exceptionally skilled in their interactions with children, to challenge children to increase their skills and believe that they can always achieve more. Children make exceptional progress and are highly motivated and inquisitive learners.  The whole staff team has an exceptional understanding of children's individual learning needs. Highly successful systems for monitoring and assessment are used skilfully to shape and adapt learning experiences, reflecting children's interests, learning styles and preferences so all children benefit fully.  Exceptionally successful partnership working ensures all children, including those with

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This provision is outstanding

additional needs, are very well supported. The provider demonstrates a commitment to working closely with parents and with a number of early years professionals, to secure timely interventions and help all children to reach their full potential.  Staff are excellent role models and use highly effective approaches to manage children's behaviour and help children to forge strong relationships. Children show a secure understanding of expectations and are kind and considerate to others.

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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 even more opportunities for children to share their views and opinions on their activities and experiences.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector completed a joint observation and held meetings at an appropriate time with the manager and nominated person.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documents, and sampled welfare records.  The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, and reviewed the provider's self-evaluation document.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection and engaged in discussions with staff and children at appropriate times.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have an exceptionally thorough understanding of their role in keeping children safe and are confident in how to identify and react to concerns promptly. Excellent working relationships with the host school ensure smooth transitions for children. Management evaluates the quality of the provision rigorously, identifying aspects of the service for further improvement. It gives a high priority to extending staff's already excellent knowledge. Staff constantly reflect on, and improve, practice such as by using their individual self-evaluation records. For example, staff identified how to improve the organisation of snack time. Subsequently, children have greatly increased independence and interruptions are reduced, so children become more deeply involved in their play. Staff are exploring even more ways to seek children's views and ideas.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of children's learning needs and provide innovative and inspiring activities to ensure all activities offer high levels of support and challenge. Planning is highly effective and takes account of children's individual interests and next steps in learning. Staff are extremely successful in motivating children to explore and investigate. For example, children take clipboards, pencils and magnifying glasses into the garden to find insects, while other children use the detector to search for items made of metal. They discuss their findings with great excitement, identifying similarities and differences. Staff provide skilful support for children to solve problems. They pose questions and give children time to think about outcomes such as when comparing weights and engaging in simple number work.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff are highly sensitive to children's needs and form extremely warm relationships. They provide high levels of praise for children and, in turn, children value and respect each other. Children feel safe to try new experiences, and show great confidence in their own abilities such as when they independently use the camera to take photographs of their friends and then print these off. An excellent range of exciting resources challenges children effectively both indoors and outside. For example, a newly obtained two-wheeled bicycle provides opportunities for children to extend their physical skills. Children learn how to keep safe, for example, as they use tools such as knives with great care.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are highly active, independent learners who develop exceptional skills for their future learning and eventual move to school. They use language incredibly confidently to share their thoughts and ideas and make decisions. For example, they vote for the number rhyme they want to sing and join in excitedly using the props to help them.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481158 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 987078 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 21 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person St Marks Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01929289223

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reference number

St Mark's Little Birds Pre-school re-registered in 2014, having previously been registered since 1978. It operates from a classroom within St Mark's Church of England Primary School in Swanage. The pre-school is open between 9am and 3pm during school term times. It receives funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff employed to work directly with the children, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications or are working towards gaining a qualification.

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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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