Cottis Preschool

Cottis Preschool Methodist Church Hall, 42 Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9SA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 2 May 2017 21 May 2015

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The manager is meticulous about keeping up to date with legislation and changing practice, and shares this with staff and parents. This helps to keep them fully involved in the setting and their children's learning.  The manager has an excellent monitoring process. For example, staff identified different ways to help encourage boys to develop their early writing skills by using treasure maps in the role-play area and clipboards in the construction area.  Overall, the manager and staff have an excellent relationship with parents and other professionals at settings that children attend. They share information effectively which helps to provide consistency in planning for children's care and learning.  Children are highly motivated to learn. The manager and staff are very successful in supporting the children's emotional development. Children develop great independence and confidence in preparation for school.

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This provision is outstanding

 The manager's excellent settling-in procedures and very comprehensive information about children enable her to plan for their progress right from the start.  The manager and staff track children's development very well. They develop a sharply focused action plan to help all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make excellent progress. Staff then review the impact of changes on children's progress and targets very precisely any gaps in learning.

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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

 involve parents further in the evaluation of the already excellent service provided and seek their views on how the setting could improve even more.

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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 outstanding

The manager and staff greatly value children's views, which has a very positive impact on their learning and motivation. For example, through a vote, children decided to make the role-play area a café. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have an exemplary understanding of the signs that a child may be at risk of harm. The manager supports staff exceedingly well and identifies their strengths or areas for development. For example, after attending a course on safeguarding, staff are extremely clear on how to identify abuse and what to do if they have a concern about a child's welfare. Since the last inspection, the manager has enhanced staff's questioning techniques. For example, using skilful questioning, staff now give children time to answer and think for themselves.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The manager and staff enthuse children about the world around us. For example, the manager uses additional funding to purchase planting materials. Staff show children how to 'experiment' with sponge at the base of a plant to help it hold water. Staff use simple, child-friendly language to engage children in their learning. For instance, staff liken roots to a straw sucking water from the soil. Children are enthused and focused for long periods. Staff extend language very well. For example, they teach children about the 'antenna' on a giant land snail. Staff teach older children about mathematics exceptionally well. For instance, children learn how to count in tens using numeral tables. Staff know children very well and plan exciting activities for children of all abilities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The manager and staff are exemplary role models and children's behaviour is excellent. Staff support children exceptionally well to manage risk. For example, children risk assess the outside area themselves and look out for a variety of hazards, including 'poisonous' plants and check the gate is locked. The manager and staff have an innovative way to teach small children about using the internet safely. For example, they have a book about a chick who lives on a farm and after ordering items online, meets up with the delivery driver who is actually a wolf. Staff use very effective ways to keep children safe.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children enjoy exploring the natural world, for example, when they go on 'welly walks' in the local area, and learn about mathematics in exciting ways. For example, they tallied the number of coloured cars passing the setting. Children develop excellent social skills through interesting experiences, such as visits to the local nursing home. They develop very good physical skills when they play outside, such as on large equipment and join in with action songs and rhymes. Young children develop their early writing skills. For example, they make marks in the air while older children practise writing their names.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113449 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 1089103 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 51 Name of registered person Samantha Claire Anthony

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 21 May 2015 Telephone number 07976378373

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reference number

Cottis Preschool registered in 2000. It operates from a church hall in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex. It is open on Monday and Thursday from 9am to 3pm, on Tuesday from 9.15am to 2.15pm, and on Wednesday and Friday from 9.15am to 12.15pm, during term time only. The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The provision employs seven members of staff. Of these, four hold recognised childcare 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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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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