Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup

Inspection of Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup Manor Field Primary School, Junction Road, BURGESS HILL, West Sussex RH15 0PZ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

The manager and staff create a positive, stimulating and inclusive environment where all children are warmly welcomed. Their nurturing approach helps children to settle quickly and explore the pre-school with confidence. They are happy, safe and secure. Overall, children are eager and motivated learners and gain the skills needed for the next stage in their education. However, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive consistently good support. Staff do not make good enough use of the strategies in place to support their learning and enable them to catch up quickly with their development.

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The provision requires improvement

Despite this, most children are supported well in their learning and enjoy a broad and child-focused curriculum. Overall, they engage busily in their play and enjoy diverse experiences. For example, when making their own Diwali candle holders, children learn about other cultures and traditions. Most staff have high expectations for children and guide their learning successfully. For instance, they encourage children to persevere when playing basketball and to practise their skills until they succeed in scoring. However, there are occasions where children's learning is not challenged fully, and their thinking and knowledge are not extended.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff know the children well and assess their development closely. Overall, they provide a varied curriculum which builds on children's knowledge and closes gaps in their experiences. There is currently a focus on supporting outdoor play and messy play, as these have been identified as experiences that not all children receive outside of the setting. In the pre-school, children happily explore a wide range of creative activities, such as painting and modelling with dough and clay. They benefit from stimulating outdoor learning opportunities. For example, children safely and carefully complete obstacle courses, making sure not to slip in the rain. n The manager works closely with other professionals, such as inclusion officers and speech and language therapists, to identify children who need additional support. However, some staff working with children with SEND do not consistently use the strategies in place to meet their individual needs. Due to

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need to do better?

this, there are times when children do not receive the support they need to engage in learning. Their communication and language development is impacted by this and they are not being supported to reach their full potential. n Children behave well and are learning to understand and manage their own emotions. Activities focused on what makes them happy, sad, different and similar to others help them to develop respect for one another and to feel valued and unique. Children are sociable and make good friendships, sharing their play together. For example, they happily take turns as they push cars down ramps

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need to do better?

5 November 2019 and develop their imaginary play together. They listen to and respect each other's ideas. n The manager and staff support children's literacy skills and love of books particularly well. They have recently developed new book areas both inside and out, and children keenly and independently explore books throughout the day. Staff enthusiastically read to children, introducing new vocabulary and ideas but also allowing children time to look through books alone or with friends. Children very much enjoy discussing the illustrations and proudly guessing what might happen next or recalling the story from memory. Parents are encouraged to take books home each week to build on children's interest and development further. n The manager is dedicated to making improvements and reflects well on the pre- school overall. She has weekly meetings with staff to discuss the children, planning and what they can do better. Although the manager supports her staff

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need to do better?

team well, there are still aspects of their practice to improve to achieve consistently high standards. She does not have a thorough enough programme of professional development in place for staff, to quickly identify and address weaknesses. For example, some staff do not consistently make full use of their interactions with children to offer further challenge and fully extend their thinking and learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff attend regular safeguarding training and work well as a team to keep children safe. They confidently know how to recognise the signs that a child's welfare may be at risk. This includes from neglect and wider safeguarding issues, such as extremist views. There are thorough procedures in place and staff know the actions to take to report and escalate any such concerns if needed. The manager and staff work hard to ensure the environment is safe and secure for children and minimise risks vigilantly.

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Due date

ensure that all staff working with children with SEND make good use of the individual plans and strategies in place to enable them to consistently meet children's needs. 10/12/2019

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should:

n strengthen the programme of professional development for individual staff identified as needing further support, to raise the quality of their practice quickly and achieve consistently good standards of teaching n make the most of all staff interactions with children to offer further challenge and extend children's thinking skills and learning fully.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY443287 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10112878 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 30 Name of registered person Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01444 237796 Date of previous inspection 3 May 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup registered in 2012. It is open during term time between 9am and 3pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and between 9am and midday on Wednesday. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. There are six members of staff, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications between level 3 and level 6.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed children's play and assessed the impact of staff teaching. n The inspector was given a tour of the pre-school by the manager and carried out a learning walk to discuss the curriculum. n The manager and the inspector discussed the play activities and children's learning during the inspection and undertook a joint observation of an activity. n The views and opinions of the children and parents were taken into account during the inspection. n A sample of documentation was viewed by the inspector.

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Inspection activities

5 November 2019 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

5 November 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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