Basildon C.E. Primary School

Acornwood Pre-School 8 Links Way, FARNBOROUGH, Hampshire GU14 0NA

p.1

Inspection date 11 July 2019 Previous inspection date 25 May 2016

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

n The manager, who is new to her role, is dedicated and ambitious. She leads her staff team well and works closely with the pre-school committee to drive improvement. For instance, she has recently implemented changes to improve opportunities for children to learn about how to use technology purposefully. n Parents speak positively about the pre-school and how staff help older children to be prepared for their eventual move to school. For example, they help children to gain confidence in being independent and support them in being inquisitive and motivated learners. n Children behave well. Staff are good role models and treat children with kindness and respect. Children are polite and courteous and play cooperatively with their friends as they build strong bonds with each other. n Staff place a strong focus on helping children learn about the natural world. For instance, recent changes to the outside play space have helped children learn how to

p.1

This provision is good

grow, harvest and eat the fruits and vegetables they have successfully grown. n Children engage well in group activities, such as music and movement games, where they practise their listening, turn-taking and concentration skills. They enjoy choosing and singing favourite rhyming songs and experiment with using musical instruments to make and listen to the sounds they create together. n Staff make accurate observations and assessments of children's learning to monitor their good progress. However, planning for children does not sharply focus on what they need to learn next, to help them make better possible progress. n The manager completes regular supervision meetings with staff. However, she has not considered how staff can gain skills and knowledge that will be the most useful in helping them support the children they have attending.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

n improve planning to focus more precisely on what children need to learn next, to help them achieve the best possible outcomes n focus staff professional development more precisely on gaining skills and knowledge that can be used to enhance the support for individual children's learning, based on their particular needs.

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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 children, staff and members of the committee at convenient times during the inspection. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector sampled a selection of the pre-school policies, looked at evidence of suitability of all staff, children's records and discussed self-evaluation with the manager.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff make good use of training initiatives to develop their understanding of how to keep children safe. They understand how to identify and report any child protection concerns, to maintain children's welfare. The manager implements effective recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work in the pre- school. Staff work well together and there is a happy and relaxed atmosphere. Parents comment positively on the way staff support children and their families. Staff build strong links with local schools, to enable good transition experiences for older children. This supports children's emotional well-being as they move on to the next stage of their education.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff provide a wide range of interesting activities which motivate children's play and learning. Staff readily join in with children's play and capture opportunities to build on what children know and can do, following their individual interests. For instance, as children join in with music time, staff teach them how to blow the recorder and shake the maracas in time with the music. Children concentrate extremely well in activities. They enjoy learning and persevere in new activities as they gain confidence in their growing abilities. For example, staff teach younger children to use knives to spread butter and cut up their toast at snack time. They praise children as they successfully master these new skills. Staff make regular assessments of children's progress and share these with the manager, who monitors their progress closely. Staff share children's key achievements with parents, to keep them informed of their overall good progress.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children develop good relationships with staff, who are sensitive to their individual needs. This helps to support children's emotional needs effectively. Staff capture good opportunities to help children learn to keep themselves safe. For instance, they explain to children the importance of appropriate ways to sit on chairs, to prevent them falling and hurting themselves. Staff encourage children to practise positive behaviours during play with others, for example when they remind children to use 'gentle hands' and to take turns. Children enjoy a variety of activities to build on their physical skills, including in active play. For instance, as they take part in nursery rhymes children practise marching and racing games as they navigate around their friends carefully.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are supported well, to make good progress from their starting points. Older children gain good levels of concentration in activities and are keen to learn. Younger children develop good communication and language skills. For instance, they confidently name the yellow and blue plates as they choose which one they would like at snack time. Older children gain good literacy skills. For example, they confidently find cards with their name written on. This helps to support their early reading skills in readiness for school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 109949 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10063281 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

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 32 Name of registered person Acornwood Pre-School Committee

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 May 2016 Telephone number 01252 512 430

p.4

reference number

Acornwood Pre-School registered in 1987. It operates from Southwood Community Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. The pre-school is open from 9am to 2.45pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and from 9am to 12.45pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays during term time. There are five members of staff. Four hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3 and one is qualified at level 2. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: www.ofsted.gov.uk/user .

p.5

reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.5