St Saviours Pre-School

St Saviours Pre-School St Saviours Church Hall, Sandpit Lane, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 4DF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 June 2017 23 April 2014

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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

 Children of all ages thrive in this welcoming and vibrant environment. The strong skills of all key persons ensure that children form very warm and caring bonds with them from an early stage. Parents comment how their children flourish and are very happy as all staff have an excellent knowledge of their children's needs.  The very well-qualified staff team is inspirational. They have a real thirst to continue to extend their knowledge. For example, they visit other early years providers to extend their already excellent teaching skills even further and share their expertise. Robust supervision meetings and excellent training opportunities are thoroughly effective and embedded.  Staff have a superb understanding of how children learn and make excellent use of spontaneous events to enhance this. For example, children observe road workers as they arrive to repair the external area of the pre-school. Children confidently ask

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This provision is outstanding

questions, learn about the correct consistency of tarmac required and how specialist machinery works.  Staff form excellent partnerships with parents and involve them in every aspect of their children's learning. Parents actively play a pivotal role in sharing a wealth of information about children's achievements and experiences at home.

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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

 continue to explore further innovative ways to overcome any barriers in communication with other early years providers where children attend, to build even more successful partnerships.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during indoor and outdoor activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and reviewed how the pre-school reflects upon their provision.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and deputy manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre- school.  The inspector spoke to parents and carers during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a very secure knowledge of the action to take if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The management team and staff are relentless in their pursuit of excellence with ambitious plans for the future. They use incisive self-evaluation as a powerful tool for improvement. Their sharp focus on monitoring children's progress identifies and addresses gaps as soon as they emerge. Excellent partnerships with other professionals are in place to successfully support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. In addition, partnerships with the majority of other providers where children attend are exceptionally effective. Staff plan to explore further innovative ways to replicate this partnership with all providers.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff use their detailed observations and precise assessments to meticulously plan exciting and highly stimulating experiences. All children are highly motivated and eager to learn. For example, they concentrate for long periods of time as they make complex structures from interlocking shapes. Staff know exactly when to intervene in children's play to support and extend their learning. They promote children's communication and language development superbly. For example, children practise the correct pronunciation of words as they look at the shapes they make with their mouths in mirrors as they speak. Rich, varied and imaginative ideas stimulate children to share their understanding of people, families and communities beyond their immediate experience. Small-group time is a very positive experience for children. They are inspired to join in with exciting interactive activities that challenge their critical-thinking skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children behave exceptionally well. Staff are outstanding role models; they place the utmost importance on teaching children to respect each other and follow excellent hygiene routines. Children demonstrate superb caring relationships with each other. They sing their favourite songs together and when outdoors they immediately pass them their sun hat when they see that they have taken it off. Children learn excellent physical skills and assess risks for themselves. For instance, they stack crates on top of each other, jump off and land safely.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children make rapid progress from their individual starting points, including those who speak English as an additional language or those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are extremely independent from a young age. Children are highly capable and expert problem solvers. For example, they solve complex mathematical problems, such as subtraction and addition. Children link letters to sounds and are beginning to blend some letter sounds to make words. These key skills prepare children exceptionally well for their eventual move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 123588 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1087604 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person St Saviours Preschool Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 23 April 2014 Telephone number 01727 864490

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reference number

St Saviours Pre-School registered in 1999. It operates from St Saviours Church Hall in central St Albans and employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including one member of staff who holds early years professional status and two who hold qualified teacher status. The pre-school opens from 9.15am until 1pm Monday to Wednesday and from 9.15am until 12.15pm Thursday and Friday, during term time. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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