First Friends Pre School

First Friends Pre School Folly Road, Great Waldingfield, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 0RR

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Inspection date 20 September 2018 Previous inspection date 4 December 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Good 2

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The provision is good

n The management team and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to achieving excellence in all areas. Teaching is good and some aspects are outstanding. Staff are enthusiastic and motivated. They work very well as a team to meet children's individual care and learning needs. n Partnerships with parents are well established. Staff keep them fully informed about their children's learning and development. Staff share ideas with parents about how they can support their children's learning at home. n Staff observe children as they play and evaluate their observations effectively. They identify where children are in their learning and what they need to do to support their continuing progress. n Staff skilfully talk with children. They engage children in conversation, actively listen to what they have to say and expertly extend and develop their vocabulary. n Children's move from home to the pre-school is managed exceptionally well. Staff visit

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The provision is good

the children in their own homes, where children can get to know them in a familiar environment. Staff tailor settling-in procedures to the individual needs of each child and their family. n Children are exceptionally happy and settled. They feel extremely safe. Staff are highly successful in providing a calm, welcoming and friendly play and learning environment. Children develop incredibly secure emotional attachments to their key person and other staff.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n Staff do not organise some routine activities as well as other parts of the session to ensure the same good level of teaching and learning at all times. n Sometimes, staff do not make the best of opportunities to help promote children's developing awareness of numbers and counting.

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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

n support staff to maintain the quality of interaction with children throughout the day n make the most of opportunities to support children to develop their awareness of numbers and counting.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this had on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection and completed a joint observation with the provider/manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the provider/manager and also discussed self- evaluation. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school, records of children's learning and a selection of policies and other records. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The pre-school is led and managed well. An action plan for improvement is in place that is designed to bring about continuous improvement to the quality of care, teaching and learning. Staff supervision and training is effective, fostering a culture of mutual support and professional development. Following training, staff have revised how the learning environment is presented to ensure that it is meeting the needs of younger children. Staff appreciate the high level of confidence that the management has in them. Safeguarding is effective. Management and staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities with regard to child protection. The management team monitors the progress of groups of children, including those who receive additional funding. Strong partnerships are being developed with the local primary school to help ensure that children are fully supported as they prepare for their move into the Reception class.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support children in purposeful play and encourage their natural instincts to explore and discover. Staff respond well to children and are actively engaged in their play. They encourage children to play imaginatively, such as pretending the buckets of sand are cakes and spaghetti bolognese. Children observe change as they add soil to the sand and talk about how it has altered in colour and texture. Staff provide a lovely range of activities, both indoors and outside, that promotes all areas of learning. Good attention to planning for outdoors helps ensure that those children who learn best from being outside are able to do so. The member of staff responsible for supporting children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is knowledgeable and passionate about her role. This helps her to ensure that these children make the best possible progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff are especially caring towards the children. Children come into the pre-school readily. Staff know about children's home lives and talk to them about their families, significantly enhancing their sense of belonging. Parents hold staff in very high regard and are extremely grateful for their unwavering support, not just for their children but for their whole families. Children behave exceptionally well and develop good friendships with each other. They respond well to the high expectations from staff and play well together. Children have regard for each other's needs and feelings. Staff are outstanding role models who treat children with genuine regard. Staff have a highly positive approach to diversity and support children to learn about the wider world beyond their own experiences.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their starting points and develop the key skills needed to be ready for school. They are independent and motivated learners who readily lead their own play. Children's health and welfare is robustly promoted. They learn about the importance of good hygiene routines and implement these in their daily activities. Children enjoy stories. They readily sit and listen as staff read to them. Even very young children concentrate well.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY301142 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10069809 Type of provision Sessional day care Registers Early Years Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Great Waldingfield Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 December 2014 Telephone number 01787 882473

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reference number

First Friends Pre School registered in 2005. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The pre- school opens from Monday to Friday during school term-time. Sessions are from 8.30am to 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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