Busy Fingers Pre-School

Busy Fingers Pre- School Main Street, Little Downham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2ST

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Inspection date 5 November 2018 Previous inspection date 10 May 2018

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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The provision is good

n Since the last inspection, the committee and manager have made significant improvements. They have carefully reviewed practice to make sure that all legal requirements are understood and met by all of the management team and staff. Required suitability checks are carried out in a timely manner. n There is a good system of ongoing supervision and performance management meetings. This ensures that staff practice is regularly monitored. The management team has developed and implemented an effective programme of professional development to support staff training, enabling them to build on their existing good knowledge and teaching skills. n The committee and manager are ambitious and communicate high expectations to all. Self-evaluation is accurate and includes the views of parents, staff and children. Actions taken lead to improvements in the quality of provision. n An effective key-person system ensures that all groups of children are monitored

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The provision is good

effectively. Staff provide a broad range of interesting and challenging activities that helps all children to make good progress. Children gain the skills needed for their future learning and eventual move to school.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n On occasion, children are not given enough time to think and talk about what they are seeing or experiencing. n Children do not always have as many opportunities as possible to explore writing as part of their play.

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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 promote opportunities for children to think in more depth and describe what they are observing or experiencing n expand opportunities for children to use writing and purposeful marks in their play.

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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 and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector discussed an evaluation of an activity with the chairperson and manager. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the chairperson, manager, staff and children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of persons working with children. The inspector discussed with the manager and staff how they reflect on their practice. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussions during the inspection process.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The committee, manager and staff have all undertaken relevant safeguarding training. They have a very good understanding of local child protection procedures. Staff know how to identify potential child protection concerns, complete required records and make referrals to the relevant agencies. Staff implement effective risk assessments to help minimise potential hazards to children. This helps to ensure children's safety and promotes their well-being as they play and move freely around the pre-school. Staff deploy themselves very effectively. They use their observational skills to check that children are happy and engaged in learning. All staff undertake paediatric first-aid training enabling them to take swift, appropriate action in the event a child becomes poorly or has an accident.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support all children effectively. They play and explore alongside children. As children investigate, staff skilfully use a range of effective strategies to support learning. For example, when children enjoy running their fingers through dried rice, staff encourage them to think about how it feels and listen to the soft noise it makes as it falls onto a tray. This helps to develop children's senses as they begin noticing and listening to different sounds. Staff make effective use of what they know about individual children. This enables them to plan for their next steps in learning. Staff put a lot of thought into planning the environment. They introduce seasonal resources that spark children's curiosity and involvement. Children enjoy making 'potions' with various herbs, practising their dexterity as they use tweezers to move different leaves into various containers.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children develop strong emotional bonds with their key person and all members of staff. They are given lots of reassurance and cuddles to help them settle into the pre-school, in their own time. Staff have developed strong and trusting relationships with parents. Daily conversations between them help to provide a consistent approach in supporting children's care and learning. Children explore other cultures and customs through activities, such as cooking. For example, they enjoy making chapatis and learning about Diwali.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are confident and motivated learners. They show persistence during activities and great satisfaction in achieving a goal. For example, children enjoy seeing their finished chapatis hot from the oven and talk eagerly about how they made these. They discuss what the smell and taste reminds them of and talk about how they remind them of pancakes. Children explore numbers and shapes, successfully identifying a triangle and circle.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 221725 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10079490 Type of provision Sessional day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Busy Fingers Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 May 2018 Telephone number 01353 698 633

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reference number

Busy Fingers Pre-School registered in 1992 and is located in Ely, Cambridgeshire. The pre- school employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. 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.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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reference number

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