Maple Grove Pre-School

Maple Grove Pre-School Maple Grove Primary School, St. Agnells Lane, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, Hertfordshire, HP2 7BG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 June 2018 9 June 2015

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The staff have exceptionally strong and trusting relationships with parents. Staff work in partnership with them so that children's learning continues from the pre-school into their home. They gather a wide range of relevant information from parents when children begin, which supports children to settle quickly and feel emotionally secure.  Children make outstanding progress in relation to their starting points. Staff quickly identify those who need additional support. Any gaps in their learning close very rapidly.  The highly reflective manager and her dedicated staff team ensure that a wide range of enriching activities and experiences is offered to the children. For instance, the children embrace the opportunity to learn new languages, such as Mandarin.  Pre-school staff have an exceptionally strong relationship with the on-site school nursery. A seamless daily transition between the school nursery and the pre-school has

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This provision is outstanding

a highly positive effect on children's well-being.  Children have an exceptional understanding of the importance of keeping healthy and following good hygiene practices. For example, they confidently talk about the importance of drinking water to prevent them from becoming thirsty.  The teaching at the pre-school is inspirational. Staff ask children a range of thought- provoking questions using a rich range of vocabulary. Staff skilfully vary their teaching to suit all children's individual needs and learning styles.

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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

 continue to build on existing opportunities for children to have enough time to think about the questions that staff ask them before a response is expected.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to parents and took into account their views on the pre-school.  The inspector and the manager conducted a joint observation of a planned activity.  The inspector spoke to the manager, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector observed the quality of the teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and considered the impact on children's learning and development.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including policies, staff supervision documents, children's learning journals and progress tracking documents.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of how to keep children safe and are extremely confident in the processes to follow if they have concerns regarding children's welfare. Staff are exceptionally well supported in their professional development and are offered extensive opportunities to enhance their excellent knowledge and skills even further. The manager provides highly effective support and ongoing guidance to staff, such as recognising that on rare occasions some staff need to give children more time to think of their response to questions, before they give the answer.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Children confidently choose what they want to play with and they concentrate until they have completed a task. They show pride in the work they create and staff celebrate their achievements with them. Children respond enthusiastically to the challenges that staff set for them and are highly motivated to extend their learning further. Regular observations of children's learning are accurate and challenging next steps are set to provide children with relevant and highly motivating learning experiences. Staff make exceptional use of every opportunity for children to learn. For example, at lunchtime children talk about the similarities and differences of their lunchbox containers. Staff use the wealth of knowledge they gain from their professional development to extend children's learning further. For instance, they skilfully support children to count dots on a large dice and identify the matching number of dots on animal picture cards. They act as inspirational role models for

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

the children and make use of the wide range of resources available to support their teaching. For example, they talk to children enthusiastically about different animals and their habitats.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children demonstrate a high level of independence at the pre-school. They are very settled and quickly become familiar with the daily routine. Staff are vigilant to ensure that hygiene is of a very high standard throughout the pre-school. Behaviour in the pre-school is outstanding. Children form exceptionally strong bonds with their key person and form firm friendships with other children. The pre-school provides rich and vibrant opportunities for children to learn about the wider community. For example, children and their families attend a food festival at the pre-school and try a range of food from other cultures.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are exceptionally well prepared for their transition to school and are highly motivated and enthusiastic learners. They have extremely positive attitudes towards their learning. They enjoy working collaboratively and using their imaginations, when they make models out of plastic blocks. Children practise making marks indoors and outdoors. For example, they write on paper leaves in the role-play jungle area and this helps them to develop their smaller muscles. Children can confidently identify the sounds that letters represent and are able to identify familiar words, such as their names.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY426590 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1094805 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 20 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Maple Grove Pre School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 June 2015 Telephone number 07787 552 179

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reference number

Maple Grove Pre-School registered in 2011. It is situated within the grounds of Maple Grove Primary School in Hemel Hempstead. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 11.45am and from midday until 3pm. 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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