Lancaster Lane Early Learners

Inspection of Lancaster Lane Early Learners Lancaster Lane Cp School, Hunters Road, LEYLAND PR25 5TT

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children thrive in this small, highly nurturing setting. They arrive happily, understand the consistent routines and are ready to play and learn. Children develop strong bonds with the highly qualified and consistent staff. This helps them feel safe and able to confidently explore the wide range of interesting activities, both inside and outside.

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The provision is good

The strong links between the pre-school and host school support children's readiness for their future learning effectively. Staff make good use of the school hall to provide children with additional activities, such as physical education and music, which enrich their experiences. The school's headteacher is strongly linked to the leadership of the pre-school. She keeps a keen eye on practice and shares knowledge and resources, to help to maintain good-quality provision. She regularly joins pre-school sessions and is familiar to the children. This helps to support their transition to school.

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The provision is good

Children progress well. Leaders plan most aspects of the curriculum effectively. They provide children with a broad range of experiences that offer some challenge and build on what children already know and are interested in. Staff understand the individual needs of the children and support them well. Children often make most progress in the development of their personal and self-care skills. This is supported by staff's high expectations of children's behaviour and levels of independence.

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need to do better?

n The pre-school manager supports her team well. Staff plan together and evaluate the effectiveness of activities and their practice. The manager makes good use of guidance from the local authority to continually improve some aspects of the provision for children. For example, she is beginning to audit opportunities for enriching children's vocabulary in each area of the play provision. Additionally, she is focusing on improving assessment and provision for children who are learning to speak English as an additional language. n Leaders self-evaluate accurately. They know that staff successfully deliver their key intention to ensure that children are well prepared for school. Leaders are less focused on establishing further ambitious and precise ways to raise levels of development and the quality of education even higher. n The curriculum to promote children's personal independence and social development is very strong. Children settle quickly and build confidence. Staff

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need to do better?

are successful in helping children understand rules and expectations for their behaviour. They teach children how to use methods, such as sand timers, to share and take turns without the need for adult support. Most-able children are

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need to do better?

4 November 2019 so confident with the routines that they independently prepare for what happens next. For example, they intuitively organise the lunch tables without any prompting. All children are keen and excited to join in, and they have a positive attitude to learning. n Children's communication and language are mostly promoted very well. Staff use a wide range of methods to support children's listening, understanding and speaking skills. They capture children's interest in books and stories, using props. Sometimes, they ask questions which make children think. However, staff do not consistently have the highest expectations for most-able children and they do not effectively challenge their thinking as much as possible. n Staff make very good use of early links with parents to help them accurately assess what individual children already know and can do. They keep a regular check on children's development. Parents are highly complimentary about the

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need to do better?

pre-school staff. They are particularly impressed with the strong communication which helps staff understand their children's individual needs and interests. Parents say that staff go 'above and beyond' to provide opportunities to involve them in children's learning and offer ideas to support them at home. For example, parents are invited to coffee mornings and activity sessions. Staff wrap up 'surprise' story books for children to borrow. Furthermore, staff support parents who need it, to understand the sounds that letters represent. n Staff make good use of links with other agencies and professionals to support children's learning. They use speech and language therapy strategies to help them plan specific activities and provide some focused support for the children who need it most. They enhance communication, for example, by using visual prompts.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders give high priority to maintaining staff's up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding and child protection matters. Regular training and short briefing sessions keep the issues in the forefront of their minds. Staff use their knowledge and robust recording systems to help them monitor and identify the most vulnerable children attending the pre-school. They know how to help to make sure that these children and their families get the support that they need. Staff help children to learn how to take risks while staying safe. For example, they provide opportunities for climbing and balancing outside and during physical education sessions. Leaders implement robust recruitment and vetting procedures, which help to ensure that staff are suitable for their roles.

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should:

4 November 2019 n raise ambition and establish sharply focused intentions for improving the quality of education to the highest level n raise expectations even further and increase opportunities to challenge children to achieve as highly as possible.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY439481 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10075022 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 20 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Early Learners Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 01772433641 Date of previous inspection 5 April 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Lancaster Lane Early Learners registered in 2012. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, and the manager holds early years professional status. The pre- school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 7.45am until 3.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector held meetings with the pre-school leaders, including the manager and the headteacher of the host school. n The inspector made observations of the premises and equipment. She considered how effectively these are used to promote children's care, learning and development. n The manager of the pre-school and the inspector carried out joint observations of specific teaching and learning activities. The inspector evaluated the impact of teaching on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff. She considered their training, knowledge of the children they care for and how they plan to meet children's individual learning needs n The inspector held a meeting with a group of parents. The inspector also spoke with children and took account of their views.

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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

4 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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