First Steps Pre-school

First Steps Pre-school The Methodist Church, Woodlands Park Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 3NW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 March 2017 14 January 2015

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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

 Partnerships with parents are good. Staff keep parents fully informed and involved in their children's learning and development.  Children take part in a wide variety of stimulating activities based on their interests and needs. They access resources easily and make independent choices in their play. All children make good progress in their learning.  Staff have good partnerships with other professionals involved in children's care, including local schools. They work well together to help children prepare for the transition to the next stage in their learning. This shared approach helps to provide consistency for children's ongoing care and development.  The manager supervises staff well. She ensures that staff teaching skills are monitored and evaluated effectively, for example, through regular meetings and discussions.  Staff ensure that children are safe at all times. The premises are safe and secure and

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, some staff do not manage children's behaviour as successfully or consistently well as other staff.  On occasion, staff miss opportunities to help children learn about simple addition and subtraction to extend their early mathematical skills.

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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

 make the most of opportunities to encourage children to use simple addition and subtraction during activities to extend their mathematical skills further  enhance staff's knowledge of how to manage children's behaviour as effectively as possible.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact of this on children's learning.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents and carers during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and looked at relevant documentation, such as policies and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector asked staff questions relating to children's development and their understanding of how to keep children safe.  The inspector examined a selection of children's records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe and what to do if they have a concern about children's welfare. Staff have completed training, including how to recognise when a child may be at risk of harm. The manager effectively evaluates the setting and has taken positive steps to make improvements. For example, she has adapted the way children's development is monitored to make it easier to identify any gaps in their learning. She has regular conversations with staff to identify any children who may not be making as much progress as they should. Staff implement plans well to support all children to make good progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know the children well and provide activities to extend their learning. They provide resources for children to learn move skilfully, such as apparatus in the garden, where they enjoy climbing the steps on a slide and balancing on tyres. Children learn how to handle small objects, such as pencils for drawing and writing. They focus for long periods on forming letters when writing their own names. Staff observe children as they play and record children's developmental achievements. This information is shared with parents well. Staff ensure that children have many opportunities to talk and listen. For example, they ask children to talk about their ideas and opinions about the story as they read to the children.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children choose from a good range of resources and freely initiate their own play. They show that they feel safe, secure and have close relationships with the staff. Children have high self-esteem and enjoy their learning. Staff help children to develop an understanding about healthy foods and teach children the importance of having a healthy diet. For instance, children grow their own vegetables in the garden and enjoy healthy snacks at mealtimes. Staff encourage children to share, take turns and to be kind and helpful. Overall, children behave well. They are polite and cooperate well with other children.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress. Older children develop their independence as they carry out tasks for themselves, including how to manage their personal-care routines. Children contribute well to discussions. For instance, they predict what will happen next in familiar stories. Children are sociable and develop positive relationships with their friends.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 108454 Local authority Windsor & Maidenhead Inspection number 1085693 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person First Steps Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 14 January 2015 Telephone number 01628 829328

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reference number

First Steps Pre-school opened in 1988. It operates in the Woodlands Park area of Maidenhead. 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 is open each weekday term-time only from 9.30am to 12.30pm, with an earlier start of 9.15am if requested. A lunch club operates until 1.30pm on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The pre-school employs six staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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

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