Our Lady & St. Joseph Catholic Academy

Castlethorpe Pre- School The Village Hall, North Street, Castlethorpe, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK19 7EW

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Inspection date 5 June 2019 Previous inspection date 20 November 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 Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n Staff provide exciting learning opportunities for children. This is demonstrated when children hunt for, identify and count toy bugs hidden in spaghetti 'worms'. Children enjoy their learning and make good progress from their starting points. n Staff teach children strong independence skills. For instance, children wash their hands themselves before snack time. They pour their own drinks and learn to use knives to spread butter on their crackers. n Staff provide children with plenty of opportunities to exercise and play in the fresh air. Children rest and relax as they learn yoga. This helps to support their good health and well-being. n Staff develop positive partnerships with parents. They share information about children's achievements and provide suggestions to support learning. For example, children enjoy completing a bug hunt activity with their parents and they share their findings with their key person.

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This provision is good

n The management team has a positive attitude to further improvement. This is demonstrated when staff and committee members create, implement and monitor the pre-school's action plan together. n The manager reviews the progress that individual children make well. However, systems for monitoring the progress that different groups of children make are not fully embedded. n On occasion, teaching during adult-led group times does not meet the needs of all children and capture and maintain their interest well.

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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 build on the tracking of children's progress and provide a sharper focus on how well different groups of children achieve n review adult-led group times and ensure that they meet the needs of all children, and capture and maintain their interest well.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector had a tour of the setting. n The inspector observed the children engaged in activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact these have on their learning. n The inspector carried out an evaluation of teaching with the manager following a planned activity. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and committee chair. She discussed self-evaluation and plans for further improvement. She looked at relevant documentation, including children's assessments, planning and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and also took account of their written views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The pre-school committee members have a strong understanding of their responsibilities. They ensure that robust policies and procedures are in place to recruit new staff. They work alongside the manager to support staff new to their role. For example, they provide a structured training plan and offer support to the newly appointed pre-school deputy manager. The manager helps her staff to improve their practice well. This is demonstrated by an established cycle of peer observations, staff supervisions and annual appraisals. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a secure understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe. They are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know how to respond to concerns about children's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff complete regular and precise assessments of children's learning. They identify appropriate next steps in children's development and they share these with parents. Staff provide a range of opportunities to help children to develop their language and be imaginative. For instance, children enjoy re-telling stories such as 'Goldilocks and the three bears'. They suggest their own phrases to use as they tell the story. Staff extend children's interest in the story and children make porridge for the three bears. They talk about what happens when they add 'more' and 'less' porridge oats into their mixture. Staff share and develop ideas to support children as part of their professional development. For example, in staff meetings they plan opportunities to further develop children's interest in mathematics. Children now use more mathematical language in their play. For example, they talk about size and height as they create buildings together

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff create a stimulating learning environment for children. They have recently reorganised their outdoor space to improve opportunities for children who prefer to learn outside. Staff have robust risk assessments in place. These help to ensure that the environment is safe for children. Staff have a good understanding of the range of professionals that they can consult to help to support children's learning. For instance, they refer parents to specialist support such as health visitors and speech and language therapists. Children form secure emotional attachments with their key person. Staff support and encourage them effectively to help them develop positive relationships with each other. Children behave well.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are confident and enthusiastic learners. They are well prepared for their eventual move to school. They explore and investigate during their play. They experiment rolling cars down tubes to see how far they will travel. Children develop strong social skills. They introduce themselves to visitors and welcome them to join in their imaginative play. They check that visitors are fit and well, taking their temperature and examining their teeth. Children show an interest in writing. The youngest children make marks and dots on paper. Older children give meaning to the marks they make and write the letters of their name.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 141823 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10106639 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 26 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Castlethorpe Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 20 November 2014 Telephone number 07508399783

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reference number

Castlethorpe Pre-School registered in 1974 and it is a committee-run group. It operates from the village hall in Castlethorpe, Milton Keynes. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, term time only. Session times are 9am until midday on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with an option to stay for lunch until 12.30pm. On Wednesday, the session time is 9am until 3pm. The pre-school accepts funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs three members of staff, of whom one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6 and two hold appropriate qualifications at level 2.

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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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