St Barnabas Pre-School

St Barnabas Pre-School Queens Square, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, Hertfordshire, HP2 4HY

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 July 2017 30 April 2015

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Management and staff effectively monitor children's progress. They successfully identify any gaps in children's learning and take prompt action to address them. Children make good progress from their starting points.  The effective self-evaluation process identifies strengths and areas for further development well. Management makes good use of additional funding to increase staff teaching skills to benefit children's learning and development even further.  Staff know the children well. They have a good understanding of children's starting points. They provide activities and resources that capture their interests successfully and develop their skills effectively.  Children's transitions from one room to another are managed well throughout the nursery. Key staff spend time helping them to settle gradually and build confidence to support their emotional well-being effectively.  Effective partnerships with parents and other professionals ensure a regular two-way

p.1

This provision is good

exchange of information. Staff link well with external agencies for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, in order to agree on individual development plans and to support children's learning effectively.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, staff miss opportunities to encourage children to understand the benefits of healthy eating and drinking, particularly at mealtimes.  Sometimes, staff are too eager to provide answers to questions, before giving children the time they need to respond or to share their own ideas and experiences for themselves.

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

 support children more to understand how healthy eating and drinking contribute to their good health  increase opportunities for children to share their own knowledge and ideas, and give them the time they need to respond to questions they are asked.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and parents.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector sampled records of children's development.  The inspector checked required documentation, including qualification certificates and evidence of staff suitability.  The inspector observed staff and children in their indoor and outdoor activities.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Management and staff have a good understanding of their role and responsibility to safeguard children's welfare. They have a good understanding of child protection issues and know how to report any concerns. Staff benefit from effective support to their ongoing development. They share information from training and ideas for activities, to improve teaching skills and children's learning successfully. For example, staff attended a 'STEPS' workshop, to support positive behaviour management. They use praise effectively to encourage good behaviour, to further support children to better manage their feelings. Management monitors the ongoing suitability of staff well, and follow thorough procedures to check that committee members are suitable, to keep children safe.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use their knowledge of the children well, to plan activities that interest and motivate them successfully. Staff provide many different tools and materials to encourage children's creativity. For example, young children enjoy the sensation of foam between their fingers and learn to use small tools, such as sponges, rollers and brushes to paint. Staff encourage children to be imaginative and investigate different textures. For example, older children engage for long periods, using their imaginations and combining materials to decorate their sandcastles with stones and shells. Staff support children's early reading skills well. For example, children develop a keen interest in books and enjoy listening to, and joining in with, storytelling sessions.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff find out about children's individual needs. This helps to support them during the transfer into the pre-school and during the move on to school. 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 teach children about good behaviour and positive attitudes. For instance, children learn how to share, take turns, are kind and helpful to others, following the pre-school's 'our values' rules. Staff encourage children to be physically active in a well-resourced outdoor garden.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

Children develop good skills in readiness for their eventual move on to school. They are sociable, independent and inquisitive learners, and develop their early mathematical skills well. For example, they use simple addition and subtraction, and count, sort and match objects. Children show pride in their achievements.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 129390 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1089402 Type of provision Full-time 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 38 Number of children on roll 71 Name of registered person St Barnabas Pre-School Committee

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 April 2015 Telephone number 01442 217366

p.4

reference number

St Barnabas Pre-School registered in 1987. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3.30pm. The pre-school employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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