Four Seasons Pre School

Four Seasons Pre School Roebuck Infant School, St. Margarets, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 8RF

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 June 2017 23 May 2014

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The dynamic staff team is relentless in their pursuit of excellence. They use self- evaluation superbly to continually reflect on their service.  Staff provide highly stimulating and interactive activities. For example, children are fascinated with how the scent of fresh herbs change when immersed in water. Visits from an exceptionally wide range of professionals, such as a phlebotomist help children to feel comfortable and become well prepared for possible future medical events in their lives.  All children thrive in this vibrant environment. The strong skills of all key persons ensure that children form very warm and caring bonds with them. Children are exceptionally confident and demonstrate that they feel very safe and secure. Many children introduce themselves to adults visiting the setting. They fondly talk about the pre-school's pet guinea pig and say they are having lots of fun.  Staff form excellent partnerships with parents and involve them in every aspect of their

p.1

This provision is outstanding

children's learning. Parents attend regular information evenings enabling them to develop a deep understanding of how to support their children's learning at home. They describe staff as amazing and say they consistently go 'above and beyond'.  The very well-qualified staff team has an excellent understanding of the uniqueness of the individual children they care for. Their meticulous observations of children's achievements and planning helps children make rapid progress in their development.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 continue to develop children's deep fascination of the wider natural environment and why things happen.

p.2

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 at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.2

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 any concerns about a child's welfare. The manager's sharp focus on monitoring individual and groups of children's progress, identifies and addresses gaps as soon as they emerge. Regular rigorous supervision meetings and excellent training opportunities are thoroughly effective and embedded. Staff demonstrate a real thirst for continuing to extend their knowledge and skills. They are currently extending these even further to become experts in implementing more frequent forest school sessions to enrich children's understanding of the wide natural environment and changes over time. Excellent partnerships with other professionals are in place to successfully support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

All children are highly motivated and eager to learn. Small-group time is a very positive experience for children. They are inspired to participate in complex mathematical games that challenge their deep thinking skills. Staff know exactly when to intervene in children's play to support and extend their learning. Children are inquisitive and expert problem solvers who eagerly explore the environment. They discover through trial and error which objects are magnetic. Staff promote children's communication and language development superbly. For example, their outstanding use of questioning encourages children to express their emotions and incorporate them into complex sentences. Children who speak English as an additional language are exceptionally well supported. For instance, staff use a wealth of visual aids and teach children basic sign language. All children intuitively join in with the signs and words to action songs.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

It is evident that staff enjoy being with each other and the children. Staff are outstanding role models; they place the utmost importance on teaching children to respect each other. Children know to remain at the table until everyone has finished eating lunch. They demonstrate superb caring relationships with each other. Children make excellent use of the highly stimulating indoor and outdoor areas. Staff provide them with the freedom to choose where they prefer to play. They learn excellent physical skills as they climb the steps on the large pirate ship and assess risks for themselves.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children make rapid progress from their individual starting points. They are extremely independent from a very young age. Children develop excellent literacy skills. For example, they learn to link letters to sounds, write their own name and other words. These key skills prepare children exceptionally well for their eventual move on to school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 146432 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1087609 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 26 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Lynn Rogers

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 23 May 2014 Telephone number 01438 489463

p.4

reference number

Four Seasons Pre School registered in 1997. It is situated in a self-contained classroom within Roebuck Infant School in Stevenage and is privately owned. It employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The pre-school opens from 9am until 3pm, Monday to Thursday and from 9am until 1pm on Friday, during term time. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5