Snowdrop Cottage Preschool

Snowdrop Cottage Preschool The Old School Hall, St Mary Street, Chippenham SN15 3JW

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Inspection date 25 February 2019 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Not applicable Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

n All those involved with the pre-school benefit from an extremely strong leadership team who are passionate about their work. They have a clear vision to provide the very best quality childcare and are relentless in their drive to achieve and maintain the highest standards. n The very well-qualified staff team provide high-quality teaching, to deliver exciting and stimulating learning experiences. They ensure every child gets the support they need to reach their full potential. n The management team places strong emphasis on self-reflection and the impact of teaching on children's learning. Managers evaluate staff practice extremely effectively. They draw on staff's individual strengths, to develop the whole staff team and support their professional development to benefit the children. n Staff build excellent and trusting partnerships with parents. They use highly successful strategies to engage parents and enable them to extend children's learning at home.

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This provision is outstanding

For example, they organise informative talks and lend popular learning resources. Parents speak passionately about the pre-school. They are eager to talk about the great impact the pre-school has had on their children's lives. n Staff are exemplary role models for children and have high expectations of what every child can achieve. Children are self-assured, highly sociable and enjoy doing things for themselves. They behave impeccably. n Managers and staff monitor children's development exceptionally effectively. They very rapidly identify children, or groups of children, at risk of falling behind and put in place specific support to help them catch up. Children make rapid progress, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 less experienced staff in continuing to develop their teaching skills to a very high standard to enable them to extend children's learning fully, especially during play that children initiate themselves.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector held meetings with the management team and senior staff throughout the inspection. n The inspector observed activities in the two playrooms and the outdoor play area, including a joint observation with one of the owners of the pre-school. n The inspector looked at and discussed children's assessment records, the self- evaluation process, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff working in the pre-school and a range of other documentation. n The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day and from parents' written testimonials.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Managers encourage staff to review their practice and nurture a culture of mutual support. Staff are passionate about their roles and confident to try new ways of doing things. Managers recognise when less experienced staff need further support and provide this to rapidly improve their teaching skills. Safeguarding is effective. The arrangements to keep children safe and healthy are exemplary. The lead for safeguarding has extensive knowledge of child protection issues and works closely with other agencies to help protect children from harm. She ensures that staff have an excellent understanding of what to do and who to contact if they have concerns for a child's welfare. Children's safety and well-being is central to everything staff do. Children say of the pre-school 'It has the best toys, food and grown-ups ever'.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff plan a wealth of rich and imaginative experiences that keep children interested and engaged in learning. For example, staff expertly extend children's understanding of measurement. Using a tape measure, they wonder how big dinosaurs' feet would be? Staff ask probing questions, such as 'How would they eat with such small hands?' Children love these discussions and keenly share their ideas. Everyone is involved. Staff build on children's knowledge. For example, after a pirate story children are delighted to make telescopes. They use them outside to look for treasure, acting out the story and using new words they have learnt. Staff ignite children's interest in writing, for example, visiting town to spot signs and play 'logo bingo'. They learn about the natural world in exciting ways, such as hatching chicks and watching tadpoles develop.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Caring staff listen to children with full attention, so children feel valued. They praise children often and reassure them that it is fine to be wrong sometimes, so children are confident to 'have a go'. Staff help them recognise and manage their feelings exceptionally well. For example, staff use a dinosaur character to talk about emotions. They ask children, 'How would I feel if I was snatching and roaring?' Staff support children's good health exceedingly well. Exciting experiences inspire children to be active and energetic learners. For example, they build dens in the wood and hunt for otters by the river. Children tuck in eagerly to nutritious meals that meet their specific dietary needs. They make good choices about what and how much to eat as they serve themselves. Staff eat with them and reflect on their day. Staff inspire children to think about all the things they could do, such as, when they visit and learn about the dentist,

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

architect, nurse, hairdresser, fireman and builder.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children rapidly gain the skills they need to support their future learning. They are highly motivated and absorbed in their play. They are exceptionally resourceful, for example, moving and arranging tyres to make their own throwing game. They use their growing mathematical knowledge to count, sort and measure. They are interested in writing, for example, they eagerly find clip boards to write a menu for their café. They have excellent social skills and competently manage their own personal care.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY542218 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10089524 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Snowdrop Cottage Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07828142368

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reference number

Snowdrop Cottage Preschool registered in 2016. It has close links with nearby Snowdrop Cottage Day Nursery, which has the same owners. The pre-school is open each weekday between 8am and 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre- school employs 17 staff to work directly with the children, including the two owner/managers. There is also a cook. Fifteen of the staff are qualified at level 3 or above. Of these, three are qualified early years teachers, two hold early years degrees at level 6 and two hold early years qualifications at level 4.

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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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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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