Cassio Pre-School

Cassio Pre-School St Andrews Church Hall, Church Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 4PY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 June 2017 12 May 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

 Staff assess children's development and effectively plan activities to promote their next steps in learning. For example, they promote children's literacy skills while they play 'office'. Children pretend to take phone calls, take notes on a clipboard and a computer. Children engage well in interesting and challenging activities, making good progress.  Staff plan activities, indoors and outdoors to support children's learning styles. Children enjoy a story session indoors and outdoors, they role play the story pretending the garden is the woods. Staff allow children time to play and extend their creativity and imagination. Teaching is good and tailored to children's interests.  Children have good opportunities to develop their communication and language. They enjoy reading sessions and research in books about what they learn. Children look at a book about the body with staff then use their bodies to balance on stepping stones.

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This provision is good

 Staff work well with parents and exchange detailed information about children's needs. Children are settled, comfortable and form strong bonds with staff and other children.  The manager effectively involves staff, parents and the local authority in evaluating practice. As a team, they share ideas and suggestions to continuously improve the services and educational programmes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not obtain detailed enough information about children's learning from other settings that they attend to ensure the continuous support to their needs at pre-school.

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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

 Ensure more regular and detailed information about children's skills is obtained from other settings that they attend to enhance the continuous support to their learning at the pre-school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed joint observations of activities with the pre-school manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the pre-school. She discussed the pre- school's self-evaluation.  The inspector took account of views of parents through discussions and written evidence.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff participate in safeguarding training and know the signs that would cause concern. They understand the steps to take should concerns arise with regards to children and their own safety. Staff conduct daily risk assessments of play areas and closely supervise children to ensure they are always safe. They teach children to be mindful of others and careful with toys and equipment. Children develop good safety awareness. The manager regularly checks staff's suitability. She closely monitors their practice with regular supervision meetings, observations and training. Qualified staff fully understand their roles in caring, educating and protecting children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff and the manager work together to track children's learning. They link with parents to provide children with continuous support. Children take books from the pre-school home to read with their parents who are regularly informed of themes, activities and the next steps in children's learning. Staff skilfully support children who speak English as an additional language and they learn English swiftly. Children try on a variety of sunglasses while looking at a mirror, learning vocabulary to describe their faces and the accessories they try on. Qualified staff know children well and effectively support their learning across all areas. Children engage in activities with staff and develop their skills well.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff effectively promote children's well-being. Children enjoy daily fresh air and exercise. They play ball games outdoors, enjoy hula-hooping, running and playing games, such as tag and hide and seek. They learn the importance of eating healthy food and drinking water. Staff work with parents to support children's emotional development. Children have a clear understanding of staff's expectations of them and behave very well. Staff are caring and attentive towards them. Children learn about each other's backgrounds and cultures. Staff teach them about life in the wider world and promote plenty of opportunities for children and parents to socialise together. Children are independent and confident.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress. They benefit from a good balance of adult-led play opportunities and child-led play opportunities. They explore a good range of resources that matches their needs and interests. Children learn about how colours change against light and they analyse different items on a light table. They learn about shades and shadows. Children are effectively challenged in all they do. They are involved in problem- solving activities, such as freezing toy animals in ice and finding ways to take them out. They count how many toys are still in or already out of the ice. Children access drawing tools, books and are very excited to learn to write and read. They are curious about the world and effectively prepared for their future at school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 130629 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1089416 Type of provision Sessional 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 28 Number of children on roll 69 Name of registered person Cassio Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 12 May 2015 Telephone number 01923 252086

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reference number

Cassio Pre-School registered in 1993. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The pre-school opens term time only. Sessions are Monday to Thursday, from 9.15am to 12.15pm and 12.45pm to 3.45pm, with the option for a lunch club between 12.15pm to 12.45pm. On Friday, sessions are from 9.15am to 1.15pm. The pre-school 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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