St. James Pre-School Woolton

Inspection of St. James Pre-School Woolton St James Church Hall, Church Road South, Liverpool L25 7RJ

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

The manager and long-serving staff team provide a cheery welcome for children and their families. They greet them personally as they enter. Children show that they feel safe. For example, they arrive in high spirits and are eager to seek staff out to share their news. Children behave well. They engage with enthusiasm and confidence in various activities that ignite their interest. Children who are new to the setting form close attachments to their key person, who tunes in to their emotional needs well. The key person works closely with parents to help new children to settle quickly. Staff are nurturing and responsive. They offer plenty of cuddles and reassurance and support children's individual needs well.

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The provision is good

The manager and staff have high expectations of what children can do and achieve. They get to know the children well. The manager and staff provide children with a well-planned curriculum that helps them to make good progress. The staff know how to build on children's prior learning. They complete regular observations of children's learning. Staff use this information well to plan interesting activities indoors and outside. However, staff do not provide a rich range of opportunities to extend some aspects of older children's learning even further.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff team are well qualified. They successfully support children to build good knowledge and skills across different areas of learning. This includes funded children and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff identify any potential gaps in children's learning, providing further help when needed. For instance, staff go with parents when they attend external speech and language sessions with their children. They work with parents and other professionals to ensure that children receive targeted support. This helps children to catch up quickly with their peers. The manager uses extra funding well. For example, she buys resources, such as books, to stimulate children's interest. Staff set up the reading corner so that it is interesting and enticing for children. This helps children to develop a fondness for reading. n Overall, the staff promote children's language skills well. For example, staff

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need to do better?

working with younger children speak slowly and clearly when they talk. They ask skilful questions that encourage younger children to think and respond with an answer. Staff working with older children read stories with enthusiasm. They encourage children to join in at appropriate times. However, occasionally, staff do not fully engage older children in discussions about what they know. This does not support older children to develop exceptional conversational skills. n Children develop good physical skills. They enjoy being active outside. For example, staff encourage younger children to count the steps they take as they

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need to do better?

20 November 2019 walk on small stilts. This helps younger children to balance and develop good coordination skills. It also helps them to build on their early counting skills. Older children practise throwing bean bags into baskets to score a goal. They whoop for joy when they are successful. However, staff do not act on opportunities to extend older children's learning further. For example, they do not encourage them to guess the score and check this quantity by counting. This does not fully support older children to develop an excellent understanding of estimating and exploring quantities. n Children learn about people and engage with the wider community. For example, they visit the local church and learn about Remembrance Day. Children discover that purple poppies commemorate animals that served in the war. They gain an understanding of how we pay tribute to others. Children conduct themselves well and develop a positive attitude to learning. They show kindness

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need to do better?

and respect for others. This is demonstrated, for example, when younger children share the toys and resources with each other. n The manager provides staff with effective coaching and guidance. Staff use information gained from recent training well. For example, they help children to understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. The staff have recently changed the snack menu to include even more fruit and vegetables. Staff invite professionals into the pre-school, such as a dentist. Children learn how to clean their teeth thoroughly to get rid of 'sugar bugs'. They take part in daily exercise sessions, including yoga. This helps them to keep fit and active.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has robust recruitment procedures in place. She ensures that new staff are suitable to work with children. Staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding issues. They know the procedures to follow should there be any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff complete daily risk assessments, including for any planned outings into the community. For example, staff carry out a visit beforehand for off-site trips. This helps them to identify and minimise any potential risks to children's safety. Children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they learn how to handle simple tools, such as scissors, safely.

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should:

n support older children even more to engage in discussions so that they develop exceptional conversational skills n extend older children's learning even further so that they develop an excellent understanding of estimating and exploring quantities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY548643 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 10126872 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person St. James Pre-School Woolton Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01514287525 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

St. James Pre-School Woolton re-registered in 2017. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a walk around the pre-school to discuss the manager's approach to planning and teaching the early years foundation stage curriculum. n Parents and staff held discussions with the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection. n The assistant manager and the inspector completed a joint observation together. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the interactions of staff with children during activities indoors and outside. She assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector checked evidence of staff's suitability and qualifications.

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Inspection activities

20 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

20 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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