Early Steps Preschool

Early Steps Preschool Singh Sabha Sports Centre, Stoke Poges Lane, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 3LW

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 January 2018 9 May 2014

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

 The co-managers are highly accountable for the quality of the services, care and teaching they offer. Recent improvements include detailed evaluations of how much progress children make and how well they prepare children for school.  Staff skilfully follow and extend children's interests. For instance, they think and talk about things together, exploring new ideas and ways to develop them. Children are keen to explore, discover and experiment.  Staff create wonderfully diverse and enticing activities and play areas indoors and outdoors. For example, children practise moving and handling soil and water without spillage. They explore how water runs and gravity, get creative in the mud kitchen and nurture emerging bulbs, just as they do on visits to a local allotment.  Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and mix confidently with other children and adults. They practise good table manners at mealtimes. For

p.1

This provision is good

instance, children listen to each other's ideas and cooperate well together as they pass around bowls of fruit at snack time.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff are not taking full advantage of the opportunities in everyday situations to introduce children to mathematical language and ideas.  Staff have limited knowledge of how to develop children's and parents' understanding of the safe and enjoyable use of modern technology.

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

 take more advantage of the opportunities in everyday activities to help extend children's mathematical skills and understanding of mathematical language  develop staff's awareness of how to support children's and parents' understanding of using modern technology safely.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed, listened to and talked with children as they played indoors and during outdoor play.  The inspector talked with parents and carers and listened to their views about the pre- school and their children's progress.  The inspector looked at children's records, discussed staff's planning and evaluation of activities, and how they exchange information with parents.  The inspector reviewed records and procedures relating to safeguarding and risk assessment, and discussed a range of other procedures relating to children's welfare with the co-managers.  The inspector observed care routines and completed a joint observation with one of the managers. Together they discussed how staff training had contributed to children's learning and development.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The highly qualified and experienced co-managers continue to create a very successful and exciting pre-school. They quickly evaluate and implement ideas for improvement from the children, parents, staff and their wider professional network. The managers use their strong partnerships with parents and the local community imaginatively to broaden children's experiences and deepen their sense of belonging. Safeguarding is effective. The managers make sure staff follow clear policies and procedures to help keep children safe, healthy and assured. They check that staff know how to protect children and whom to contact when they need more advice. The premises are secure, clean and appealing.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff are very capable, well informed and caring. They all know the children in their care particularly well and skilfully develop opportunities for them to practise the next steps in their learning. In partnership with parents, staff make accurate assessments of children's achievements. Children make very good levels of progress, especially in the development of their personal, social and emotional skills and speaking. For example, staff use different voices for different characters in stories and extend children's understanding of words to describe the characters' feelings. Children think it is great fun to join in with familiar parts of stories and learn how to express different feelings and emotions.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff speak most of the languages used across the pre-school community. They understand and quickly settle and teach children who start without any spoken English. Children learning more than one language make rapid progress in their communication and speaking in time for school. Staff use additional activities, such as small language groups and singing songs in more than one language, very successfully to extend every child's confidence and communication skills. The co-managers share information and model high-quality teaching as they work alongside staff. The staff team works very smoothly together to meet the individual needs of children and their families.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

Children are happy in their play and enjoy learning. They play kindly together, respect each other's choices and act considerately when they see that their friends need help. Children quickly learn how to express their needs, feelings and intentions effectively. They develop good levels of independence in managing their own personal needs. Children make very good use of the extensive outdoor play areas and equipment to strengthen their muscles and coordinate their movements. They practise smaller hand movements. For example, they use small tools to sieve, stir, paint and make marks. Children show an interest in numbers, using pencils and finding information in books.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY461761 Local authority Slough Inspection number 1069262 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 17 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Early Steps Preschool

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 May 2014 Telephone number 07415239468

p.4

reference number

Early Steps Preschool registered in 2013 and is open each weekday during term time from 9am to 3pm. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are five staff working with the children, all of whom hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 to level 6. One of the managers holds early years teacher status.

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