Dicker House Preschool

Dicker House Preschool Community Room, Birchwood Grove Road, Burgess Hill, RH15 0DP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 March 2017 8 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

 The manager and staff work well with parents and other professionals. For example, staff share children's information and have a common approach to children's learning.  The manager and staff are reflective practitioners. They use a variety of methods to involve parents and children in identifying ways to improve activities and the setting further.  The manager has effective monitoring systems in place. For example, staff track children's progress and identify any gaps in learning early, and implement a development plan to help ensure all children make good progress.  Children develop good communication and language skills overall. The manager and staff use a variety of ways to effectively do this. For example, staff repeat back words to younger children and add words to extend vocabulary for older children.  The manager effectively keeps staff up to date with legislative and practice changes.

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This provision is good

 Children develop close attachments to staff. Staff praise children effectively, building on their self-esteem. Children learn skills that help them prepare for their future learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager does not always ensure staff are consistently effective in fully supporting children's listening skills and helping them focus on activities for a longer period of time.  The manager and staff do not consistently provide children with opportunities to develop their early mathematical skills, including recognising numbers and shapes.

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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

 review and strengthen opportunities staff provide to support children to develop their listening and attention skills further and encourage them to focus on activities for longer  improve opportunities for children to develop their early mathematical skills, including knowledge of numbers, shapes and counting.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed the premises and sampled some documentation.  The inspector observed the manager and staff interacting with children.  The inspector interviewed the manager and carried out a joint observation of an activity.  The inspector spoke to children and viewed their activities.  The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager supports staff effectively. She identifies any staff strengths or areas for improvement. She then develops a plan to help each member of staff progress. Staff attend relevant training and the manager then evaluates the impact of this on children's learning. For example, staff are now better able to support children's special educational needs. Teaching practice has improved and staff have developed sensory baskets to help children learn using all their senses. Since the last inspection, the manager has worked with local schools and developed strategies and ideas to help most-able children to progress. For example, she uses a specific learning resource to extend how children learn to blend letters and sounds together. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff know what to do and who to contact if they have a concern about children's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know the children well and they effectively adapt activities for children's individual needs. For example, during story time, staff asked challenging questions to older children and used gestures, tone and different voices to keep younger children interested. The good settling-in procedures allow staff to plan children's next steps right from the start. For example, staff set up the train track outside to engage a child who learns better outdoors. Children access their own resources and learn to be independent. Staff effectively support children's early writing skills and prepare them well for school. For example, children use a variety of materials, such as paints, to practise making marks.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are beginning to be aware of the needs of others. For example, a child assisted another child when changing for physical education. Children are beginning to be aware of risk and personal safety. For example, staff explained why it is dangerous to swing on a chair. The manager and staff act as positive role models for children. Children behave well and learn to play cooperatively. For example, children sit together having a tea party and share and take turns during play. Staff use routines, such as snack and meal times, as an opportunity to teach children about the importance of healthy eating.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are happy in the warm and welcoming environment. They develop good physical skills, for example, when they play on the balancing beam and large stepping stones. Children develop a good range of social skills through a range of experiences. For example, children visit the school playground and speak to their peers. Children learn to think creatively, for example, as they play with water wheels and experiment with guttering and pipes. Children learn to value and develop an understanding of their own and other people's similarities and differences to help them learn about diversity in a positive way.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY397474 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 1085904 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 26 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Dicker House Nursery Group Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 January 2015 Telephone number 07707892532

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reference number

Dicker House Preschool registered in 2009. It operates from the site of Birchwood Grove School in Burgess Hill, West Sussex. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8.55am to 2.55pm during school term time. There are nine members of staff; of these, seven hold early years qualifications at level 3 and two hold early years qualifications at level 2. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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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