Steeple Aston Pre-School

Steeple Aston Pre-School Fir Lane, Steeple Aston, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX25 4SF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 May 2017 29 April 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, committee and staff reflect and evaluate on their practice well. They regularly seek the views of the parents and reflect on every aspect of the setting.  Children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress from their starting points.  Partnerships with parents are good. The manager and staff inform parents daily of their children's progress and how they can support learning at home. Parents praise the staff team. They comment that they value the care and learning their children receive.  The manager oversees children's development effectively. For instance, with her deputy, they have developed a clear system to monitor individual and groups of children's progress. Staff use this effectively to identify and address gaps in learning to meet the needs of each child.  Children learn about differences that exist between people. For example, families are

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This provision is good

welcomed to come into pre-school to share their experiences and customs. This helps children to develop an awareness of the differences between themselves and others.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Systems to monitor staff do not yet have a strong enough emphasis on incisively evaluating their practice to help raise the quality of teaching to an outstanding level.  Staff do not consistently organise large-group times as well as possible. At times, some children become restless and lose interest.

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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 arrangements for the supervision of staff to focus more precisely on raising the quality of teaching to an exceptional level  review the planning and organisation of group activities so that they fully engage and challenge all children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector conducted a joint observation of a planned activity with a member of staff and discussed children's learning and development.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the chair of the committee. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the self-evaluation, staff qualifications, risk assessments and some policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector spoke with the manager, staff and children throughout the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Good leadership and management result in staff feeling well supported. The manager encourages staff to develop their skills and knowledge well by attending relevant training and sharing information gained with their colleagues. This results in professional and informed staff who are committed to providing a high-quality service. Strong and effective links exist between staff and other professionals and they all work well together to help ensure children's individual needs are met. Safeguarding is effective. Recruitment procedures are rigorous to ensure staff are suitable and experienced for their roles. All staff have safeguarding training and regularly discuss issues affecting children's well- being. They know what to do if they have concerns about any child's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have high expectations of children and plan interesting activities. This helps all children, including those who receive additional funding, to make good progress from their starting points. Children settle quickly into their day in this friendly pre-school and are enthusiastic learners. The well-qualified staff team prepares the environment daily to be accessible to all children and provides a good range of activities, overall. For example, children actively enjoy exploring a range of materials while learning about understanding the world. Staff provide a bright, colourful and well-resourced environment indoors and outdoors. They label areas with signs, letters and pictures, which helps children to see and understand print and its meaning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The manager places a high priority on establishing meaningful relationships with children and their families from the outset. Children are polite and behave well. They are very confident and approach staff and visiting adults without hesitation. Staff set a good example for children to follow in their calm, caring manner. Staff constantly praise children, which helps to support their confidence and well-being. Children enjoy being active outdoors. They are confident yet very safety conscious as they use cycle helmets when they negotiate the ride-on toys around the pretend marked-out road. They know where to cross, using the pedestrian crossing, to keep themselves and others safe.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are motivated, independent and sociable. They develop their mathematical and early writing skills well. For example, children count, identify shapes, sort and match items. They practise forming letters, identify sounds and write their names confidently. Older children make regular visits to the Reception class at school, getting to know their teachers and daily routines, to be confident and ready when it is time to move on.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 133615 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1089475 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Steeple Aston Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 29 April 2015 Telephone number 01869 340863

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reference number

Steeple Aston Pre-School opened in 1971 and registered in 1993. The pre-school operates from a former Victorian school building in the village of Steeple Aston, in Oxfordshire. It is open on weekdays from 8.50am until 2.50pm during school term times. It offers morning and afternoon sessions and a lunch club. Sessions for children moving up to school are available on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and include visits to the village school Reception class and forest school area. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years, and is in receipt of early years pupil premium funding. The pre-school employs seven staff who work directly with children, of whom six hold relevant qualifications at level 3 or above.

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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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