Brent Knoll Tadpoles Preschool

Brent Knoll Tadpoles Preschool 50 Brent Street, Brent Knoll, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 4DT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 December 2016 5 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

 Leaders have taken effective steps to address weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. Children are now kept safer as they are not able to access the residential part of the setting and staff recruitment procedures have been strengthened.  Children develop good levels of independence and are well supported to manage their own personal needs. For example, staff work closely with parents so that children learn how to use the toilet by themselves.  Children are well behaved. Preschool rules help them to understand why they need to comply with expectations and how to care for and be kind to others. Children are confident and cooperate well with each other and with staff. For example, they enthusiastically help tidy up before lunch.  Children’s communication and language development is particularly well supported. They are keen to talk with staff and their friends, developing their own ideas. They

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This provision is good

confidently describe what they are doing as they play.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Teaching is not as effective when children learn in larger groups because activities are not always delivered in a way that engages all children. For example, during registration time some children are easily distracted because the activities are not pitched to meet their needs.  Staff are aware that they have not successfully engaged some parents in their children's learning and are identifying ways to develop their approach.

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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

 develop large group activities so that teaching meets the needs of all children  further develop ways to encourage more parents to be involved in their child's learning.

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Inspection activities

 Two inspectors conducted the inspection and they observed the quality of teaching and its impact on children's learning.  One of the inspectors conducted a joint observation with the provider.  The inspectors spoke with the provider, staff and children at suitable times throughout the inspection.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including records of the progress children have made, the setting's evaluation of their provision, policies and procedures and evidence of suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspectors took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and written feedback provided by other parents.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Staff are well qualified and are committed to developing their skills further. Training is having a positive impact on raising the quality of teaching. For example, training is helping staff to provide better support to improve children's emotional development. The manager has a good understanding of how effective teaching is. She regularly observes staff working with the children and closely checks how well the children are doing. She uses this information well to identify where teaching and the curriculum is less effective. For example, close analysis of children's achievements has led to a focus on supporting children's confidence levels. Staff receive very good levels of help and guidance. They meet regularly with the manager, both as a team and individually, to discuss policies and practice and to bring about improvement. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are knowledgeable about how to recognise and respond when a child may be at risk

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

of harm. Additional training has ensured they have a good understanding of the latest government guidance on keeping children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know the children well and complete accurate assessments of their progress and development. When working with children individually or in small groups staff use effective teaching methods to encourage children to be curious and inquisitive. They model language well and introduce new vocabulary. They are confident in teaching children about mathematics. For example, while playing with buckets of water staff encourage the children to think about how many they might need to fill a bath. Children discuss volume and capacity and solve problems. Staff build good links with other early years settings that children attend so that they have a complete picture of how well children are developing.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are keen to come to the setting. They build strong bonds with those who care for them and, as a result, settle quickly. Children learn about their local community as staff, for example, regularly take them to visit the local school and church as well as visiting the lambs born in the village. Children are learning about how to keep themselves safe and well. For example, staff talk to them at dinner and snack time about why certain foods are good for them and teach them how to cross the road safely when walking through the village.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are motivated to learn and are keen to involve their friends and adults in their play. They are developing skills that will help them settle well into school. They are independent, can recognise their own name, and understand how to share and take turns. When staff identify gaps in children's learning, good quality teaching helps them to catch up. For example, additional funding is used well and targeted at children's ability to focus and concentrate.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY357670 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 1036030 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 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person Brent Knoll Tadpoles Preschool Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 5 January 2016 Telephone number 01278 769126

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reference number

Brent Knoll Tadpoles Preschool opened in 2004 and moved to its current premises in 2007. The pre-school operates from a room on the ground floor of a private detached property in Brent Knoll, Somerset. It opens from 7.30am to 6pm each weekday, term time only. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school also provides out-of-school care for children up to 11 years old. A team of six staff work with the children. The provider, who manages the setting, holds a relevant foundation degree, one member staff has qualified teacher status, one holds a level 4 qualification and three hold relevant qualifications at level 3.

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

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