Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited

Inspection of Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited Queen Emma's Primary School, Burwell Drive, Witney, Oxon OX28 5LP

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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 are happy and very settled at this warm and friendly setting. There is a strong key-person system in place and staff know the children extremely well. Staff are aware of children's individual needs and support their next steps in learning skilfully. They provide a safe and stimulating learning environment for children, which includes activities that capture children's interests. Children have free access to an outdoor play area, which they use alongside the well-planned main playroom. Staff make sure children who prefer to be outdoors have opportunities to hear stories, read books, make marks and experience mathematical and exploratory concepts, alongside physical play.

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The provision is good

Staff use every opportunity to recognise children's achievements and celebrate learning. For example, they invite parents to share 'wow' moments and activities children have undertaken at home. These help to inform staff of children's additional achievements away from the setting. Children are motivated to explore and investigate. They show high levels of concentration and curiosity. For instance, they carefully use their fingers and tools to explore the ice around toy animals.

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The provision is good

Parents speak very highly of the staff team. They comment that their children love to attend the setting and the support they receive is excellent, especially when they need extra help, such as with speech or settling in.

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need to do better?

n Staff help children learn how to share and take turns, such as when they use the timer to decide when it is their turn to use the climbing cube in the outdoor area. Children behave well. They show kindness towards each other while learning to share resources and cooperate to play a game of hopscotch. This activity also supports them to learn basic mathematical and physical skills, for instance, counting as they jump carefully from square to square. n Children develop good levels of independence. Staff encourage children to build confidence to manage everyday tasks for themselves. For example, children pour their own drinks and serve themselves food at snack times using tongs. They also learn to manage their own basic care needs such as wiping their noses and washing their hands. n Staff support children's language skills well, including for those children who are learning English as an additional language. For example, they learn the basic

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need to do better?

names and written words in the child's home language for the fruit served at snack, and use Makaton to support basic communication. n Children, including those in receipt of additional funding, make good progress from their starting points. Staff have purchased resources linked to children's interests and use these effectively to support children's language development.

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need to do better?

20 November 2019 This helps children to work towards or meet the typical outcomes in relation to their age. n Staff fully engage children in developing their imagination during role play. Children are animated and expressive when using props as they act as hairdressers and customers in the salon. n Overall, staff support children well when they are engaging in planned activities. However, staff do not always use effective questioning when engaging with children, to ensure they are given sufficient time to think and problem solve. n The manager has systems in place for staff supervision and meets with staff regularly to discuss their practice and teaching. These processes are not yet fully embedded and effective. There are identified gaps in the quality of teaching and some staff's understanding of procedures and routines, such as when managing the outside area and challenging children to think critically.

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need to do better?

n Children are inquisitive and motivated to learn. They are curious about new people and keen to investigate new experiences. For instance, they enjoy mark making in flour with their fingers and paintbrushes and this leads to some of the most able children beginning to write recognisable words. n Children are beginning to learn about healthy lifestyles through participating in activities and experiences to promote regular toothbrushing routines. Staff are aware of children's individual needs and support their next steps in learning skilfully. They provide a safe and stimulating learning environment for children, which includes activities that capture children's interests. Children are learning that by eating the skin on their fruit at snack time they are getting some essential vitamins.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and her staff team have a robust understanding of the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare and of wider safeguarding issues. They have attended training to support them in recognising the possible signs and symptoms of abuse, and confidently describe the action they would take if they had concerns regarding a colleague's practice. Robust recruitment and vetting systems are in place to ensure the suitability of staff. Suitable risk assessments are implemented effectively by staff to ensure children play in a safe and secure environment.

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should:

n strengthen the processes for supervision and monitoring of staff to raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level n ensure staff do not overwhelm children with questions during activities, to allow

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should:

20 November 2019 them enough time to think critically and solve their own problems.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY421302 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10065482 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 27 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01993775940 Date of previous inspection 13 July 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited is run by a private company of the same name. The pre-school re-registered in 2011, having previously operated as a committee-run provision since 1983. It operates from a self-contained building within the grounds of Queen Emma's Primary School, in Witney, Oxfordshire. The pre-school is open each weekday during term time, from 8am until 3pm. The pre- school is in receipt of funding for the provision of early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff; of these, eight hold relevant early years qualifications, including one who holds early years professional status.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Clare Perry Tracy Bartholomew

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Inspection activities

n The views of parents leaving children at pre-school on the day of inspection were taken into consideration. n The inspector spoke to some members of staff at appropriate times during the inspection and held meetings with the management team. n The inspector completed a learning walk and a joint observation of an activity with the manager to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children during activities inside and outside, and considered the impact on children's learning. n The inspector reviewed policies, documents and other information related to the running of the provision.

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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

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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