The A House Pre School

The A House Pre School Windmill Avenue, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8LJ

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Inspection date 26 March 2019 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable 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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This provision is good

n The owner, manager and staff are well qualified, experienced and enthusiastic. They spend plenty of time playing with children in a positive way and build strong bonds with all children, who are happy, settled and secure. The highly inclusive and nurturing environment supports children's emotional well-being successfully. n Partnerships with parents and outside agencies are strong. Staff gain expertise from a variety of professionals to help meet children's individual needs well. They regularly invite parents into the pre-school to discuss children's development and offer helpful activity packs to support learning from home. n Staff plan an engaging and varied environment and support children's learning well. Children enthusiastically play, explore and discover, both inside and outdoors. They are inquisitive and curious about the world around them and make good progress from their starting points in learning.

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This provision is good

n Management regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the pre-school. They look for any differences in the learning of groups of children, such as boys, girls and vulnerable children, and make positive changes that help all children to achieve. n Staff do not always plan fully effectively for children's next steps in learning to focus on closing any gaps in development rapidly. n Occasionally, some staff do not make the most of their interactions with children to encourage them to solve problems and to develop their thoughts and ideas fully.

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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 focus more precisely on what children need to learn next, to help close any gaps in development rapidly n give children more opportunities to work things out for themselves and develop their ideas, to support their thinking skills further.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed teaching practices and the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with management, staff, children and parents. n The inspector read some of the pre-school's documentation, including the safeguarding policy and procedures. n The inspector sampled children's development information and records. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and discussed children's play, learning and progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The dedicated management lead their staff team successfully and act as positive role models for good practice. They observe staff regularly and offer valuable guidance and coaching through support meetings. After recent research, staff have introduced 'in the moment' planning, focusing more precisely on children's interests. Management and staff evaluate children's learning and experiences daily and make continual improvements to help achieve good developmental outcomes. They recently focused on boys' literacy skills and successfully improved their finger muscle strength and control ready for early writing. Safeguarding is effective. Management and staff attend regular training on all aspects of safeguarding. They are clear about the action to take if they have a concern and take effective steps to ensure children's safety.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff observe children regularly and assess their development accurately. They know children's current interests and use these successfully to plan for their learning spontaneously. For example, after children showed an interest in daffodils on a recent trip, staff encouraged them to make their own, using dough, leaves and paper. Children carefully moulded the dough and excitedly named parts of the flowers, such as 'stem' and 'petals'. Staff join in very well with children's play and extend their mathematical understanding skilfully. For example, they encourage children to find and name shapes in the garden and to think of the highest number they can. Children excitedly find 'circle hoops' and call out the number '200'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are very sensitive towards children's needs and value them highly as individuals. They are strong role models and positively remind children of their expectations. Children behave well and are kind and considerate of others. They happily include others in their play, such as when giving each other 'a lift' on the garden balance bicycles. Children are very physically active. They enjoy plenty of opportunities for exercise and outdoor play, such as in the well-resourced garden and on trips into the community. They show strong balance, strength and coordination as they walk carefully using child stilts outdoors.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children eagerly learn the skills that prepare them for future learning and starting school. They use their imaginations well, such as when going on 'superhero adventures' in the garden. Children confidently share their ideas and views and communicate well. They have good control over pencils and creative equipment and confidently link letters to their sounds. Children are creative and willing to give things a go for themselves. They develop good early writing skills and enthusiastically record wildlife seen in the garden, using clipboards.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY540750 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10089646 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 Sessional day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 55 Name of registered person The A House Pre School Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01273 844250

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reference number

The A House Pre School has been established since 2012 and re-registered in 2016. It is privately owned and is situated in a residential area of Hassocks, West Sussex. The pre- school is open each weekday from 8.30am to 4pm, during school term time only. There are five members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications, including the owner holds early years professional status. 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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