The Ark at Waddington Pre-School

The Ark at Waddington Pre-School Village Hall, Mere Road, Waddington, LINCOLN, LN5 9NX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 January 2017 9 July 2013

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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

 The manager is hard-working. She demonstrates an enthusiasm for the continued development of the pre-school. Information gathered from parents and children is used to identify strengths and ways to improve experiences children receive. The manager receives good support from the provider and the strong staff team.  The manager and staff provide a highly inclusive pre-school. They have the children and their families at the heart of everything they do. Children are treated as individuals. There is a clear dedication and commitment to improving outcomes for children.  Staff provide a welcoming, fun and stimulating environment with a wide variety of interesting activities. This helps to effectively challenge children and supports them to enjoy their learning.  The pre-school has established good partnerships with parents. Staff plan regular coffee meetings for parents to attend. During these times, parents look at their

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This provision is good

children's learning records and speak to the key person. This promotes continuity of learning between home and the pre-school.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Methods for checking on staff performance are not yet embedded well enough to raise the quality of teaching to exceptional levels.  Occasionally, staff working with toddlers are not fully effective in helping children to develop the necessary skills to manage their feelings and to learn to compromise during their play.

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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

 strengthen the procedures in place to help staff identify more precisely their own strengths and weaknesses in practice and increase the potential to drive the good quality of teaching even higher  use all opportunities to help toddlers manage their feelings and to learn to compromise during their 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 spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the pre- school.  The inspector spoke with a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are confident in their responsibilities regarding child protection and are secure in the process for referring any concerns. The manager has good procedures for the recruitment of new staff. She ensures that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff extend their professional development by attending training courses. Recent training has helped staff develop their knowledge about the different ways children learn. The manager uses good methods to gain information from other settings that children attend. This helps to promote children's continuity of care. Additional funding is spent well to meet children's individual needs. For example, story sacks have been purchased for children to take home to enhance opportunities for parents to continue their children's learning at home.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. Staff are well qualified and have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. Group activities are well led by fun and animated staff who keep children engaged. Children learn to listen to others and know that their comments and contributions are valued. Staff help to promote children's communication skills very well. They ask them questions and playfully make mistakes to encourage children to develop their own vocabulary. Children's understanding of people and communities beyond their own is promoted well. They learn about different cultural beliefs and festivals, such as Chinese New Year, when a visitor came to teach children about Chinese writing. Children who have special educational needs or disabilities are well supported at the pre-school. Staff build strong partnerships with parents and other professionals. This helps to meet children's needs and ensure consistency in their

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children arrive happily at the pre-school. They build strong emotional attachments with staff. Children are greeted warmly and enthusiastically by the friendly staff, who genuinely enjoy being with them. Children of all ages are active. They regularly play outdoors, where they practise and master physical skills, such as throwing, catching, climbing and sliding. Staff help to promote children's good health. Children are provided with snacks that include plenty of fruit. Staff effectively encourage children to think about personal risks. They offer constant gentle reminders for safe walking indoors and teach children the correct way to come down a slide.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those in receipt of funded early education, make good progress from their starting points given their capabilities. Children learn about size and length as they line up bricks to measure the length of each other and staff. They record their findings on a chart. This helps to develop their mathematical and writing skills. Children take part in learning experiences that help to prepare them well for school or their next stage of learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY386753 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 1065314 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 11 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person Jillian Mary Corah

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 July 2013 Telephone number 07891807113

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reference number

The Ark at Waddington Pre-School was registered in 2008. The pre-school employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the provider and manager who hold early years professional status. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during school term time. Sessions are from 8am until midday on Tuesday and Thursday and 8am until 3pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The pre-school also offers before-school care every morning from 8am until 8.45am. 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

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

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