Smallworld Pre-School

Smallworld Pre-School Ashfield Infant School, Newlands Lane, Workington, Cumbria, CA14 3JG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 October 2017 1 April 2014

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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

 Managers and leaders show admirable enthusiasm and cascade this philosophy throughout their team. Staff's strong focus on providing a safe and nurturing environment helps children to grow into happy, confident and independent individuals.  Key persons are warm and caring. They form good relationships with children. Opportunities, such as nurturing key group sessions, contribute towards children feeling secure and confident to seek out others to share experiences.  Children are highly valued. Staff provide an inspiring learning haven, indoors and outside which fully reflects the current interests of each child. Information from high- quality observations, accurate assessments and parents is used to inform children's future learning experiences. Children make sustained good progress.  Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well. Tracking is effective. Staff work in close partnership with parents and other

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This provision is good

professionals to implement targeted learning plans that lead to improved outcomes for children.  Staff continually model being kind, caring and helpful towards others. Systems, such as daily praise certificates, recognise and celebrate the respectful and positive attitudes that children demonstrate. This helps to boost children's confidence and self-esteem.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not provide enough challenge during some creative experiences to support children in sharing their in-depth knowledge of what makes them unique.  Although children take regular exercise, make healthy food choices and adopt good hygiene routines, staff do not use these opportunities to raise children's awareness of the benefits to their health.

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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

 strengthen teaching and provide greater challenges during creative activities, in order to extend ways for children to share their good knowledge of what makes them unique  use all available opportunities to raise children's awareness of the impact that good hygiene routines, eating healthily and taking regular exercise have on their good health.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching, indoors and outside and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager during a planned activity.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider and the manager. She spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector looked at evidence of the suitability of staff, policies and procedures, children's learning files, a record of staff qualifications and training and the provider's self-evaluation documents.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and from comments noted on recent feedback forms.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Managers and leaders ensure that staff attend extensive safeguarding training, receive regular updates and have a wealth of safeguarding information to hand within the pre-school. This contributes towards ensuring that all staff have a good knowledge of child protection procedures. Staff are vigilant. Areas of play are safe and secure. Comprehensive risk assessments take account of factors, such as season changes. For example, effective control measures are in place to clear falling leaves in the outdoor area to help reduce risks and prevent accidents occurring. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust. Managers and leaders invest in their entire staff team. Purposeful supervisions, creative and customised training and influential meetings are focused intently on enhancing staff's good knowledge and skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The well-qualified staff team have a secure knowledge of how children learn and develop. Staff encourage children to explore the natural world. They alert children to changes that occur, such as leaves changing colour during the autumn period. Staff engage well, knowing just the right time to intervene and move play on. For example, they offer further opportunities for children to use natural materials for a range of purposes, to help enhance their imagination skills. Areas of play are enriched to encompass children's interests. For example, staff provide soothing, motion images of fish in the sensory den to help children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities relax and unwind. Partnerships with parents are good. Strategies, such as parents' sharing week, engaging activity weeks and informative home learning booklets fully engage parents in their children's learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are welcomed into this inclusive pre-school with a friendly smile. Staff are attentive and respond well to children's emotional and physical needs. For example, they readily recognise when children become tired and offer opportunities for them to rest and relax. Staff encourage children to carry out small tasks to develop independence. For example, children enjoy the responsibility of pouring out their own drink at snack time. They persevere when developing new skills, such as putting on dressing-up clothes. Good links are formed with nearby schools. Invitations for teachers to meet with children, pictures of areas within school and supportive settling-in sessions aid a smooth transition.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children gain the skills they require for their next stages of learning. Children eagerly engage in extracurricular activities, such as French sessions. They show confidence when joining in with familiar songs and when naming colours in both the English and French languages. Children count objects, such as conkers, with numbers in the correct order and use tools for a purpose to develop good physical skills. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities show a great interest in books and know to turn the pages from right to left. They are keen explorers and eagerly search for living things in the environment.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY267912 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 1087910 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 31 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person Smallworld Pre-School and Link Club Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 April 2014 Telephone number 01900 873973

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reference number

Smallworld Pre-School registered in 2003. The pre-school employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 or above. The pre- school opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.30pm, during term time. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free 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

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

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