St Matthews Pre-School

St Matthews Pre-School Church Hall, Stretton Road, Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 4NT

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Inspection date 26 February 2019 Previous inspection date 27 January 2016

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 Staff establish very positive partnerships with parents and keep them extremely well informed about their children's learning from the outset. For example, parents attend settling-in meetings to ensure their child's starting points in development are accurate. Parents routinely share children's experiences from home. n The inspirational manager has a clear vision of her setting and very high expectations of her staff and the children. She is passionate about offering children the best start in life. Furthermore, she regularly seeks the views of children, parents and staff, and uses this information to drive ongoing improvements. n Children display high levels of positive behaviour as they form warm and caring attachments with staff and the children. Staff are excellent role models for children. Children receive plenty of praise for their efforts and they learn how to share and take care of each other.

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This provision is outstanding

n Children have enormous fun in this warm and friendly setting. They have many opportunities to follow their interests and lead their own play. Staff skilfully support children to extend their learning and enhance their enjoyment. n The manager and staff team monitor and track the progress of individual and different groups of children extremely well. This enables them to identify any gaps rapidly and provide exceptional support for children to catch up quickly and continue to make rapid progress in their learning and development. n The environment is highly stimulating and exceptionally well organised. This significantly enhances children's learning. Children access an excellent range of resources to promote all aspects of their play and learning very successfully.

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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 continue with the excellent plans to involve children in learning about the local community, to further promote children's understanding of the community outside their own experiences.

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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 has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. All staff have an expert understanding of the procedures to follow if a child is at risk of abuse or neglect. The well-being and safety of children are at the heart of everything that the manager and her team do. Adult-to-child ratios are exceptionally well maintained to make sure that children have all the support they need. For example, staff are vigilant in monitoring children's hygiene routines. Excellent staff coaching and mentoring systems are in place to ensure consistency in the high-quality teaching throughout the pre-school. Staff embrace training with enthusiasm and strive to raise their teaching skills to the highest level. Self-evaluation and ongoing reflection are thorough. The manager has plans to continue to develop partnership working with the local community, to further promote children's understanding of the community outside their own experiences.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The quality of teaching is excellent. Staff rigorously notice children's interests and strive to provide further stimulating activities. For example, following children's interest in animals, they make clay hedgehogs, counting the spikes, making the hedgehog's snout and learning new words such as 'nocturnal' and 'hibernation'. Small-group activities are carefully planned to take account of each child's abilities. For example, staff deliver focused activities with their key children concentrating on particular areas of learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff value children's ideas and contributions. Promoting children's emotional well-being is of the utmost importance to staff. Children are involved in decision-making and regularly vote on what songs to sing or which book to read at circle time. Children's understanding of healthy lifestyles is extremely well supported. They have plenty of opportunities to exercise and develop their large-muscle skills both indoors and outdoors. Children enjoy healthy snacks. They actively discuss how fresh and healthy food gives them a healthy body. For example, children look at a ripe green banana and a brown banana that has decayed and discuss how bacteria can affect your health.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children make excellent progress and develop the skills they need for future learning and their eventual move to school. They communicate clearly and learn to be highly sociable and confident. Children who are new to the pre-school settle well into the daily routines and demonstrate positive relationships with staff and other children. All children learn how to keep themselves safe and to manage risks in their environment. For instance, they complete daily checklists for the outdoor area. Children freely experiment in the mud kitchen, explore with binoculars and magnets, and investigate the natural world. They are very curious, inquisitive and highly motivated learners.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 315246 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 10066544 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 20 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person St Matthew's Pre-School Group Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 January 2016 Telephone number 01925 730083

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reference number

St Matthews Pre-School registered in 1989. It is managed by a committee. The pre-school opens on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am until 3pm and on Thursday from 9am until midday. The pre-school employs six members of staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. 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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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