St Michael's Pre School

St Michael's Pre School Village Hall, Whaddon Lane, Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 7RN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 June 2018 22 January 2018

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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

 Management has made positive improvements since the last inspection. For example, staff and committee members have improved their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection procedures.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff and parents effectively share information that helps to promote continuity in children's care and learning. Parents are happy with their children's progress and comment that they appreciate the regular feedback they receive.  Staff know children well and have built good relationships with them. This enables them to plan effectively for their next steps in learning and provide them with the individual care they require.  Children behave very well. Staff give them consistent and clear messages about what is expected of them, and use positive strategies, such as regular praise, to promote good behaviour.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 There are few opportunities for three- and four-year-olds to explore, share their ideas and be creative during art and craft activities.  Staff in the room for the youngest children do not consistently organise snack times well enough, to ensure they interact with children in a way that enhances their social skills and opportunities to do things for themselves.

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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

 enhance opportunities for the oldest children to lead their own play in craft activities so they can develop their own ideas and be more creative  improve snack routines to make them more social times for the youngest children and provide increased opportunities for them to develop their personal independence and physical skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager and chairperson at appropriate times during the inspection and in a scheduled meeting.  The inspector observed children's activities and staff teaching, inside and outside.  The inspector looked at documentation, including a sample of children's records, planning and assessment records, and checked evidence of the suitability of committee members and staff to work with children.  The inspector took account of the views of children, staff, committee members and parents spoken to on the day of the inspection, and of the pre-school's self-evaluation.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Improvements have been made to ensure that all staff have refreshed their knowledge through training and are clear about signs and symptoms of abuse and/or neglect. Staff know what to do and whom to contact should they have a concern, and policies have been updated. Appropriate steps have been taken to ensure committee members have a good basic knowledge of child protection to enable them to monitor more effectively. Children's progress is monitored well and the manager has a good overview of the progress of all groups of children to ensure they all make consistently good progress. For example, she uses additional funding well to improve children's development and close any gaps in their learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Overall, staff use their teaching skills effectively to help children progress. Children are motivated and keen to learn. Staff plan activities that are based on what children need to learn next and their interests. Staff help children to develop their literacy skills in preparation for starting school. For example, staff teach children the sounds that letters represent and they have opportunities throughout the day to recognise their own name in print. In addition, children bring things from home that match the letter they are learning about and proudly share them with their friends during 'show and tell'. Staff promote children's language development well. Children learn new words and are confident communicators. Staff take opportunities as they arise to develop children's mathematical awareness. For example, they encourage them to recognise shapes when looking at pictures in books.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children enjoy opportunities to play outdoors. They climb, run and balance on park equipment and manage risk well in their play. Children develop good relationships with staff and often invite them to play with them. Children demonstrate increasing awareness of people and how to look after themselves. For example, pre-school children learn about emergency services and have a good understanding of occupations and people who can help them. Children enjoy a good range of healthy snacks and this encourages children to become more aware of healthy lifestyles. Children are happy in the pre-school and staff build their self-esteem well. For example, staff regularly tell children that they are proud of them when they achieve new things.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are developing a good range of skills they need in preparation for starting school. They confidently participate in activities. For example, they listen well and join in with group conversations. They learn to take turns to speak and respect other people's thoughts and ideas. They make friends easily and play cooperatively with others. They learn to look after things and show respect for resources and the learning environment; they handle things with care and help to pack away at tidy-up time.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 145821 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 1124907 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 - 4 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 67 Name of registered person St Michael's Pre School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 22 January 2018 Telephone number 07849722670

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reference number

St Michael's Pre School registered in 2001. It opens during school terms only. It has sessions for three- and four-year-olds on weekdays from 9am until 3.45pm, and for two- year-olds on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am until 11.30am. The pre-school committee employs six members of staff. The manager holds an early years degree, two members of staff hold relevant qualifications at level 3 and three are unqualified. The pre-school receives funding to provide 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

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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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