St Mary's Pre-School, Swanage

St Mary's Pre-School, Swanage St Marys R C Primary School, Northbrook Road, Swanage, BH19 1QE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 June 2017 Not applicable

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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 work closely with parents to monitor and support children's learning accurately from the start. Children make good progress.  Staff provide exciting play areas for children with a good range of activities for them to choose freely. They provide time for children to learn in smaller groups with their key person, to focus on their next stage of learning.  Children benefit from lots of activities to encourage their physical skills and good health. Children create their own games outside and play team games with their friends.  The management team involves staff well to reflect on and evaluate the quality of the provision, to target and address areas for improvement successfully. They seek the views of parents, who provide positive feedback, and management acts on parents' suggestions.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasions, staff miss opportunities to encourage some quieter children's language skills as well as they could.  Staff do not organise some group activities as well as possible, to fully engage and interest all children.

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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

 extend support to encourage all children's language skills further  review and improve the organisation of large-group activities to engage and involve all children as fully as possible.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching in the playrooms and outdoor play areas.  The inspector sampled children's assessment records and planning documentation, and talked to children at appropriate times.  The inspector assessed the suitability of staff and discussed management's knowledge and understanding of the early years foundation stage.  The inspector took account of the views of parents.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The management team follows thorough procedures to ensure staff's suitability to work with children. The manager monitors staff practice closely to ensure they provide consistently good standards of care and teaching, and that children are progressing well. The management team and staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children's welfare. This includes how to recognise when a child might be at risk of harm and the correct procedures to follow in the event of a concern. Staff value professional development to build on their knowledge and skills. For example, they have gained guidance from other professionals to provide additional support in aspects of children's learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have a secure understanding of children's learning needs and use good teaching skills to help them achieve their next steps for learning. They shape and adapt activities skilfully to build on children's learning. For example, staff encourage children to count objects in games and to learn what numbers look like, to support their mathematical development. They extend this well for older children who learn to compare quantities and to calculate. Staff provide many different tools and materials to encourage children's creativity. Children learn to use small tools, such as pipettes, to mix liquids and explore how these change. They engage for long periods, using their imaginations and combining materials to make 'potions' and 'dinosaur drinks'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff maintain safe and secure play areas in which children move around freely and lead their own play and exploration. They help children to learn about keeping safe and recognise safety issues around them. Staff help children to learn good behaviour and positive attitudes. For instance, children learn how to share, take turns, to be kind to others and to help following the group's golden rules. Children learn about one another's lives and beliefs. Parents receive good encouragement from staff to support this, such as talking to children about their special celebrations and teaching children songs in their home languages.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop the skills they need for their future learning. They join in school activities regularly to help them feel secure about their move on to school. Children manage many tasks for themselves to build their independence, such as preparing and cleaning away their own snacks and working as a team to tidy toys away. Children learn to listen, and to recognise and write their names, and more confident children talk about their home lives and ideas in their play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486426 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 1004817 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 24 Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person St Marys Pre-School (Swanage) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01929 475835

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reference number

St Mary's Pre-School, Swanage registered in 2015. It operates from St Mary's RC Primary School in Swanage, Dorset and is open during term time only from 8.55am to 3pm. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs five members of staff, four of whom hold early years 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

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