Sowerby Nursery School

Inspection of Sowerby Nursery School The Portacabin, Sowerby County Primary School, Topcliffe Road, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1RX

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children are warmly welcomed into the pre-school by staff. They are eager and excited to play with the wide range of toys and activities available to them, indoors and outside. Parents talk about how their children are well cared for by staff as they settle in at the pre-school. Staff informally chat with parents at drop-off and collection times each day about how their child is progressing. They have a learning journey system that parents can access at any time to see how their child is progressing. Parents state that they value having a hard copy file to look at.

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The provision is good

The manager seeks guidance and support from the local authority. She has addressed the actions raised at the last inspection. For example, staff know children well and take time to find out about children's interests and what they can do on entry. This helps staff to plan effectively to build on what children already know and to support their emotional well-being.

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The provision is good

Children show that they feel confident and secure in the pre-school environment. They behave well and listen to staff and follow instructions, for instance, when it is time to tidy up. Staff help children to understand about taking turns and to share toys from an early age. Children learn about their feelings and how their actions may affect their friends. They show respect and kindness towards each other and the staff.

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need to do better?

n The management committee fully understands its role and has a good overview of the pre-school. Managers hold regular meetings and provide effective support. They know the areas they still need to develop and have plans in place to address these, to further improve outcomes for children. The manager ensures that staff are well supported with their well-being and has strategies in place to help reduce their workload. n Staff support children well to develop their communication and language skills. They ask appropriate questions and give children time to respond. Children enjoy having conversations with staff about their experiences at home. n The manager has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements and monitors children's progress well. Staff training has been implemented to support staff to accurately assess what children know and can do and to use the information they gather to plan children's next steps in

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need to do better?

learning. Staff plan a wide range of activities indoors and outdoors that capture children's interests. n Staff promote the importance of reading extremely well. For example, staff use puppets when telling stories to children to help to bring the stories to life. They also make them available for parents to use to support learning at home. In

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need to do better?

21 November 2019 addition, parents can access books from the lending library. These experiences help parents to support children's developing literacy skills and promote a love of books. n The children receive nutritious snacks and those who stay for lunch bring in packed lunches from home. Staff provide support and guidance for children and their families to help them to lead healthy lifestyles. For example, staff share information with parents, such as nutritious recipes and ideas for healthy packed lunches. n Good links between the on-site school and the pre-school are established. For example, children attend events and school assemblies and staff share information with teachers well. This provides consistency for children and supports them to be ready for starting school. n The manager and staff have worked well to implement improvements. For example, focused staff supervision sessions are in place. However, this process

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need to do better?

is not yet fully embedded effectively to support and enhance teaching to the highest level. n Staff encourage children's understanding of 'people who help us' significantly well. For example, they are visited by the police and fire officers and learn how to keep safe. n Children are motivated and keen to join in play. For example, they spend long periods of time creating models of insects from salt dough using a variety of tools. They show delight as they use their imaginative skills when combining craft materials to make a witches potion.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of what constitutes a safeguarding concern. They understand the procedures to follow to protect children from harm. The manager ensures staff keep their knowledge up to date. They attend training courses and access online training. Good recruitment procedures and rigorous background checks ensure that children are always cared for by suitable adults who have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles in the pre-school. Risk assessments are completed to minimise any risks to children. Children are supervised well in all areas of the pre-school. Consequently, children are protected.

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should:

n continue to prioritise staff supervisions to maintain and further build on good practice.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 400369 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 10107167 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 24 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Sowerby Nursery School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01845 527321 Date of previous inspection 8 May 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Sowerby Nursery School registered in 1992 and operates from a portable building in the grounds of Sowerby Community Primary School, near Thirsk. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 11.45am and from 12.45pm to 3.45pm, during term time only. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the manager. The nursery offers funded early education places for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector talked to staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n Relevant documentation, including staff's training records, safeguarding policies and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting were looked at during the inspection. n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk across all areas of the setting to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation of teaching practice was conducted with the manager. n A meeting was held between the inspector, the manager and the chair of the committee.

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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

21 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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