St Benedict's Pre-School

St Benedict's Pre-School St. Benedicts Church, Hollingsworth Road, LOWESTOFT, Suffolk, NR32 4AX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 March 2017 10 May 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 leader and staff team are committed to providing children with high-quality care and education. They are keen to improve their knowledge and skills. Staff highlight specific training needs and attend courses whenever possible. They use their new knowledge to enhance their practice further, to improve the outcomes for children.  Staff are highly effective in supporting children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with parents and other professionals. Staff regularly plan and review the environment to ensure they meet children's individual care and learning needs. This supports all children to make good progress.  Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent. Staff provide a warm, caring environment that welcomes children and their families, promoting respect and equality. Staff are very successful at engaging parents in their children's ongoing learning.

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This provision is good

Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They comment on the supportive staff and about how their children enjoy attending.  Staff support children's literacy skills well in the pre-school. Children have regular access to a range of resources, both indoors and outside to stimulate their early reading and writing skills. This helps to prepare them well for their move on to school.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The leader's monitoring of staff's performance is not yet fully embedded to ensure the highest-quality supervision.  New systems for monitoring the progress of different groups of children are not yet fully embedded, in order to target teaching and monitor the impact of this.

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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

 focus staff supervision more precisely on identifying where and how the quality of teaching can be raised to an exceptional level, in order to achieve outstanding outcomes for children  embed monitoring practices of different groups of children, helping to target the teaching even more precisely.

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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 leader.  The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school leader. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents and carers during the inspection, and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The dedicated team and leader work very well together and have achievable plans for continual improvement. The leader has introduced new systems for monitoring staff performance. This helps staff reflect on their teaching practice. The leader however, feels the need to attend further training, in order to strengthen her skills and provide supervision of the highest quality. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff carry out their responsibilities to safeguard children diligently. They know the appropriate action to take if they have concerns about children's welfare. Stringent policies and procedures are in place to guide them. Staff engage in discussions at staff meetings to keep safeguarding procedures at the forefront of their knowledge and work with the children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff carefully organise the learning environment so that it is stimulating and interesting for children, both inside and outside. Children enjoy free access to a wide range of toys and resources. They confidently explore their environment. Staff get down to the children's level and join in with their play. They get to know the children well through regular observations and accurate assessment of what they can do. Staff identify where extra individual support may be required and make sure this is put in place. This contributes to the good progress children make. Staff use sign language to support communication. They provide rich opportunities for children to develop their speaking skills when engaging with others, particularly in small groups. Children are motivated and interested during the well-planned focused activities. Staff skilfully use spontaneous events to build on children's learning. For example, when children excitedly notice a frog in the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

outdoor area, staff ask a wealth of effective questions to promote children's thinking skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are friendly and approachable and support children to settle well. Children are familiar with the daily routines. On arrival, they find their name card to self-register and choose what they would like to play with. Staff are good role models. They are calm and provide clear guidance for children about what is acceptable behaviour. Staff praise children as they recognise their efforts and achievements. This helps to raise children's confidence and self-esteem. Children follow good hygiene routines and have daily opportunities for exercise and fresh air. This helps to promote their good health and supports their physical well-being. Staff pay close attention to health and safety. They are vigilant during the sessions, ensuring a safe and secure environment for children.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop many skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning, such as starting school. They develop their personal-care skills, relevant to their age and ability, such as finding their coat before playing outside. Children learn how to share and take turns. They show good listening skills and follow instructions well. Children gain a practical sense of responsibility as they happily carry out tasks in the pre-school, such as preparing snack. They demonstrate their counting skills and enjoy looking at books with staff. All children make good progress in their learning given their starting points and capabilities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY456784 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 1066529 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 43 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person St Benedict's Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 May 2013 Telephone number 07791849899

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reference number

St Benedict's Pre-School was registered in 2012. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with qualified teacher status. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15pm. Afternoon sessions run from 12.45pm until 3.45pm on Tuesday and Thursday, with a lunch club from 12.15pm until 12.45pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

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