Spring Pre School

Inspection of Spring Pre School St. Barnabus Church, Brinns Lane, Blackwater, CAMBERLEY, Surrey GU17 0BT

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are happy and enjoy their time in this homely and welcoming pre-school. They thoroughly enjoy playing and interacting with staff and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. Staff build positive relationships with children and continuously offer them gentle reassurance, praise and encouragement. They are sensitive to children's individual needs, particularly when they are settling into the pre-school. Since the previous inspection staff have created a highly impressive, and constantly evolving, outside play space for children. This has had a positive impact on children's physical development and engagement outdoors. This is demonstrated as children eagerly take part in digging and planting activities. They search for bugs outside and delight in looking closely at them through magnifying glasses. Staff have high expectations for all children to learn the necessary skills they need for starting school. For instance, staff encourage children to be independent at

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The provision is good

snack time by pouring their drink and serving their own snack. Children are making good progress in their social and emotional skills. Staff help children to learn the expectations for their behaviour. For example, they teach them to follow the pre-school golden rules. Rewarding strategies, such as star of the week awards, help to recognise and celebrate children's personal attributes and good work.

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need to do better?

n Staff recognise the importance of all children hearing more words in order to improve their language and communication skills. Staff read books and sing songs with children throughout the day. Children gravitate to staff who read with great expression and pause dramatically to create a sense of excitement. This helps to increase children's early love of books and stimulates their communication skills. Staff skilfully introduce new words within their teaching and use language appropriate to each child's level of understanding. n There is a strong importance placed on making links with the local community. Meaningful experiences, such as visits from a local police officer, help children to learn about different occupations and contribute towards their ability to keep themselves safe. Children attend festivals at the church and enjoy people coming into the pre-school to share with them their own cultural celebrations.

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need to do better?

This helps to enhance children's learning and contributes to their understanding of the community they live in. n Staff benefit from regular supervision and good training opportunities. For instance, recent training on behaviour management strategies has had a positive effect on children's behaviour in the setting. The manager monitors staff practice and, overall, helps them to identify their strengths and areas for improvement. n Staff know their key children very well. They have a good understanding of children's starting points, gained through discussions with parents, and their

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need to do better?

9 September 2019 initial observations. They use this information to plan a range of activities to support children's individual needs and interests. However, during these activities they do not maximise opportunities to promote challenge and extend children's learning, to help them reach their full potential. n All children are given the same level of opportunity to develop in the setting. The manager closely monitors the overall development of different groups of children. Additional funding is used effectively to help narrow the gap in learning. For instance, they use additional funding to offer children the experience of meeting and handling reptiles, insects and farm animals. This has helped to increase children's understanding of the world. n Staff build good partnerships with parents. Feedback from parents is extremely complimentary. For example, they describe staff as 'amazing'. Staff work closely

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need to do better?

with parents to support children's learning. For instance, they offer regular parent workshops to help parents understand the aims of the curriculum and what they can do to help their children to be ready to move on to school. They have also introduced 'home learning packs' to offer activity ideas to complete at home. n Staff promote good hygiene practices. They consistently remind children to wash their hands before snack and after messy play. However, they do not use valuable opportunities to enhance children's awareness about the benefits of healthy eating and how this affects their bodies.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of their role in protecting children from possible harm and the procedures to follow if necessary. The manager regularly assesses their knowledge and understanding by, for example, creating quizzes for them to complete. This has had a positive impact on staff's knowledge of safeguarding procedures and their role in keeping children safe. All staff have completed relevant training to ensure that they are aware of the possible signs of children being exposed to extreme behaviour and harm. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust.

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should:

n further extend learning during activities, for example by using questions that challenge children and make them think n improve staff's knowledge of how to support children to gain an even more secure understanding of healthy eating.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY350431 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10108651 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person McCormack, Jeanette

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reference number

Telephone number 01252 878866 Date of previous inspection 24 September 2014

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Information about this early years setting

Spring Pre School registered in 2001 and operates from St Barnabus Church Centre in Frogmore village, near Blackwater in Surrey. The pre-school opens Monday to Thursday 8am until 4pm, and on a Friday 8am to 1pm during term time only. The pre-school employ 11 members of staff. Of these, six hold recognised early years qualifications at level 3 or above, one of whom holds qualified teacher status. The pre-school receives funding for free early years education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and manager completed a learning walk across all areas of the pre-school to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum is organised. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager. n The inspector spoke to staff about their knowledge of child protection and the procedures they follow to keep children safe. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the manager. n The inspector spent time with parents and children and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of the curriculum during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector reviewed documents, including documentation relating to staff, accident records, and policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

9 September 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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