Harwich Centre Pre-School

Harwich Centre Pre-School Adult Community Learning, Harwich Centre, Main Road, HARWICH, Essex, CO12 4AH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 2 February 2018 9 July 2013

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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 take a great deal of care to ensure that all children have equal opportunities to learn, play and enjoy their time at the pre-school. The indoor and outdoor environments are welcoming and provide a broad range of activities to help support children's learning and development.  Children develop good bonds with staff who are warm and attentive to their needs. Staff encourage and support children's independence, which helps them to develop good levels of emotional well-being and self-worth.  Partnerships with parents have a positive impact on children's experiences at the pre- school. Parents report they are happy with the care and education their children receive.  Staff work with parents to understand children's starting points during the settling-in process. They observe, assess and plan for children's development, using their interests to help offer children tailored activities and experiences. All children make good

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This provision is good

progress in relation to their individual capabilities and skills.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager has yet to fully implement effective staff monitoring procedures to help identify areas to improve and raise the quality of teaching to an outstanding level.  At times, staff do not effectively organise some daily routines, such as tidy-up time, to help keep children occupied and engaged.

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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

 develop ongoing staff monitoring procedures to help identify areas to improve and raise the quality of teaching to an outstanding level  review and improve the organisation of some daily routines to keep children fully engaged and occupied.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in both, classrooms and the outdoor learning environment.  The inspector gathered views of parent's and carer's through conversations on the day and feedback records held by the provider.  The inspector looked at children's learning records, planning and assessment documentation, evidence of staff suitability and a range of other documentation.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and spoke to children and staff.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and held discussions regarding children's learning and development.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager has a secure knowledge of her responsibilities. She makes effective use of staff meetings to help make improvements that have a positive impact on children's outcomes. For example, recent staff training has focused on the quality of interactions, enabling environments and knowledge of autistic spectrum disorders. Staff are encouraged to share their training and ideas regularly within their team. Safeguarding is effective. Staff know how to report any concerns they have about children and the possible signs that children are at risk of harm. There are good recruitment processes and on-going monitoring helps to ensure staff's ongoing suitability.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff quickly respond to children's ideas and provide resources to support their play. For example, staff give children torches to enable them to look under storage units and hunt for treasure. Children confidently move around the rooms, taking toys from other areas to extend their play. Younger children hunt out pretend mobile phones to use in the role-play area. Staff encourage children's ideas and join in with their play enthusiastically. For example, older children are supported to climb a short ladder to 'fix' the roof of the playhouse, while staff provide relevant words to support children's thinking. Staff take a great deal of time to get to know all children, particularly those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They liaise with parents and other professionals to help provide continuity in children's care and learning. For example, staff follow specialist autistic play structures to help children learn about the world around them using resources

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

bought with funding money to improve children's sensory development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children demonstrate good levels of confidence and self-esteem. They freely approach staff to talk about their ideas or thoughts, such as their favourite activities at pre-school and what they are going to do next. Children's individual backgrounds are reflected and celebrated. Staff provide a range of different experiences and encourage parents to get involved and share different important events from their cultures. There are good links with other settings that children attend and the local schools. This helps to support children as they move between settings or eventually on to school. Staff praise children's efforts and achievements frequently. For example, older children's individual achievements and acts of kindness are celebrated and placed on the 'awesome' tree.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and develop the key skills in readiness for their eventual move on to school. They recognise their names and self-register when they arrive and find their named peg to hang their coat. Children are confident in managing their self-care, such as washing their hands before snack. Children are curious and keen to try things out for themselves. They enjoy listening to stories and excitedly wait to find out 'what is in the box'. Children demonstrate empathy and care for their peers. For example, they find tissues to give to their friend when they are upset.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY272636 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1064494 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 89 Name of registered person Essex County Council

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 July 2013 Telephone number 03330 132437

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reference number

Harwich Centre Pre-school opened in 1975 and is based in Harwich, Essex. The pre-school employs 13 members of staff, of which 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications. The manager holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 12pm and 12.30pm until 3.30pm. Children also have the option of staying for lunch. The pre-school provides funded 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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