Thatcham Pre-School

Thatcham Pre-School Moorside Youth and Community Centre, Urquhart Road, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 4RE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 June 2017 19 March 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

 Children make good progress and develop a wide range of the skills. Staff observe children's play regularly. This helps them to plan relevant learning experiences.  Children are happy, curious learners who eagerly engage in the wide range of activities that staff provide. They make independent choices in their play and seek out staff and other children to join in with them.  Children have good relationships with staff. They settle easily and behave well. Staff make time for parents and children at the start of each day. They help less confident children engage in activities as soon as they arrive. This helps parents to leave their children confident they are happy and settled.  Relationships with parents are good. Parents provide evidence about children's learning at home and read about their child's activities. They have easy access to their children's assessments and progress in learning.  The manager has positive partnership working with the local school. This helps ensure

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This provision is good

children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager does not systematically provide effective support and guidance for staff, to improve the quality of their teaching.  The manager does not routinely include suggestions from parents and children, to help with the evaluation of the pre-school and deciding improvement plans.

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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

 develop the support and guidance for staff to improve the quality of their teaching  encourage greater involvement from parents and children in the evaluation of the pre- school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children at play and talked with children about their activities.  The inspector held discussions with the manager in relation to observing a group learning activity and assessed children's progress.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including suitability checks, qualifications and children's records.  The inspector held discussions with parents, the chair of the committee and all staff.  The inspector observed children at play outside.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The new manager has a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and this helps her to motivate staff and review children's progress. For example, the staff have altered the room layout and provided extra cosy areas, to help children be comfortable while they enjoy books. The staff work well as a team and are consistent with their expectations of the children. This helps parents to be confident with their children's key person and the rest of the team. Safeguarding is effective. All staff know the signs that they must be alert to, and how to seek extra help if they have concerns about children's welfare and care.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan exciting activities, informed by their thorough assessment of each child. This helps to motivate and engage children from their individual starting points. For example, at the start of the morning the children and adults talk about going shopping. The older children describe their experiences and understand the role of the customer and the shopkeeper. In their play, children buy flowers from the shop and give them to their key worker. Children enjoy exploring paint. Younger children use a paintbrush well to support their early writing skills. Older children build their pictures and explore different ways to add colour. For example, flicking yellow paint to look like flashing lights.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are very settled, they look forward to their friends arriving and greet them enthusiastically at the door. They understand the daily routines and respond to staff's instructions quickly. Staff talk to children about how to keep themselves safe in hot weather. Children talk about playing in the shade, wearing sun hats and helping themselves to lots of drinks of water. They behave very well. There is a good selection of activities that support children's physical development, and develop their respect of wildlife. For example, they take part in a bug hunt. Children use magnifying glasses to look at a snail coming out of its shell, and notice its eyes. They talk softly so they do not frighten it.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are provided with lots of opportunities to develop as independent learners. For example, when they are outside they collect herbs from the herb garden and use them to 'cook' interesting things in the mud kitchen. They share the equipment well, and build on each other's ideas. For instance, children explore pouring water from a teapot into cups and give each other instructions about making a good cup of tea. Older children develop their early reading and writing skills well, and can count confidently to ten and beyond.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY292708 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 1092085 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person Thatcham Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 19 March 2015 Telephone number 07831 611145

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reference number

Thatcham Pre-School registered in 2004 and is situated in Thatcham, Berkshire. The pre- school is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm, in term time only. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children who are aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs six members of staff, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or 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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