The Centre Pre-School

The Centre Pre-School Straight Road Community Centre, 329 Straight Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 9EF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 May 2018 30 June 2017

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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

 The manager and staff have worked extremely hard to address the actions from the previous inspection. All staff have received support and training to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level.  Staff provide varied play spaces for children to learn indoors and outdoors. Children have plenty of opportunities to make decisions about how and what they want to play. Children are confident and motivated to learn.  Partnerships with parents are a key strength of the pre-school. This successfully helps to promote consistency and continuity of care and learning.  Staff provide children with many opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. They talk to children about the types of food that are good for them and encourage them to feel their heart beating after they have participated in exercise.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not consistently encourage parents to share what they already know about their children's learning when they first start.  Staff provide few experiences that help children to learn about different cultures and support their understanding of the wider world.

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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

 gather more detailed information from parents about the skills and abilities children already have when they first start at the pre-school  provide an even broader range of experiences to help children learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others and further support their developing understanding of diversity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector talked to children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation, including children's records, safeguarding policies and procedures, and evidence of the qualifications and suitability of staff working on the premises.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken with on the day of the inspection and from written feedback obtained by the manager.  The inspector completed a joint observation of a teaching activity with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Since the last inspection, the manager has raised the quality of the provision effectively. Actions from the last inspection have been addressed successfully. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a secure understanding of the referral procedures to follow should they have concerns about the health or welfare of a child. The manager carefully checks the progress of all children attending the pre-school, including different groups of children. This helps to ensure that weaknesses are addressed quickly and that all children achieve their full potential. The manager carries out regular supervisory meetings and observes staff practice to manage their performance. Recent training has supported staff to significantly raise the quality of teaching. Self-evaluation systems are thorough and take into account the views of staff, children and parents. Parents comment that the manager has implemented many changes which have had a positive impact on improving the

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

quality of care and education their children receive.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use the information gathered from observing children's play to plan enjoyable and purposeful activities. The manager oversees the quality of teaching and reviews each child's progress to ensure they are developing well. Children's mathematical development is well promoted during group games. For example, children count the balls that are bouncing on the parachute and try to shake them off. Children have opportunities to develop their imagination. For instance, they become immersed in their play as they make up stories using farm animals and small wooden blocks.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children's personal development is promoted well. Staff provide supportive key-person arrangements. They create an enjoyable and interesting learning environment. There is a good range of toys and resources to support children's learning for all areas of their development. Children enjoy being active and staff make good use of the space they have outside to promote physical play. Children enjoy racing on scooters and tricycles. They visibly enjoy being outdoors. Children behave well. They understand and cooperate with boundaries and routines during the day.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in their learning. They develop a good range of skills in readiness for their future learning. For example, as the time approaches to start school, children learn to manage more of their own needs, such as dressing themselves and looking after their own possessions during group physical education sessions. Children develop strong listening and attention skills. They listen to stories read aloud to them, making comments and asking questions about the pictures.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 650148 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1108563 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 30 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Centre Pre-School (Colchester) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 June 2017 Telephone number 01206 573 341

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reference number

The Centre Pre-School registered in 1973 and is run by a committee. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during school term time. Sessions run from 8.15am to 3.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 8.15am to 2.30pm on Thursdays. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years old. There are nine members of childcare staff. Of these, seven have appropriate early years qualifications at level, 2, level 3 or level 4.

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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

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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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