First Steps Orrishmere Pre-School

Inspection of First Steps Orrishmere Pre-School Warwick Close, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport SK8 5NN

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are motivated to learn new skills. The outdoor area, in particular, provides them with an extensive range of learning opportunities. Children use real tools at the work bench to build. They use metal pans in the mud kitchen and become absorbed in role play. Children have fun and are creative. Assorted wheels, wooden planks and cardboard tubes are used inventively. Children make boats, construct walls and roll wheels and ping-pong balls down guttering tubes. They actively search for bugs and wildlife and use magnifying glasses to take a closer look. They share their prior knowledge of 'parakeets' and 'shield beetles' articulately with others. The 'bug house' is also another source of discussion as they find ladybirds and other small creatures.

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The provision is good

Well-qualified staff nurture and support all children. Children settle with ease and are very happy and safe. They behave well and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. For instance, they find their name on arrival, 'check in' on the board and immediately start to play and learn.

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The provision is good

The dedicated manager has high hopes for children and, overall, staff plan activities which help children to make good progress. Staff identify any gaps in children's knowledge and skills and work to bridge gaps, utilising the expertise of other children, staff and parents. An example of this is a recent visit by a parent who brought in exciting musical instruments, such as a oboe. This helped to widen children's experiences of percussion instruments.

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need to do better?

n Children play harmoniously together. They solve any problems that they encounter by helping each other. For example, as they make 'pirate ships' using boxes, glue and tape, one child holds the tape while the other cuts it with scissors. They produce magnificent models which staff display for everyone to admire. Children are proud of their achievements and have high levels of confidence. n Staff teach children about different people and the importance of protecting the environment. There is an extremely high focus on looking after the planet. For example, children recycle plastic and food waste, grow plants and care for wildlife. Children meet elderly people and are visited by professionals, such as a local police officer. This helps to develop awareness of good values, including an understanding of right and wrong. n Staff value and welcome parents' input. Methods used to involve parents include an online learning book. Parents particularly enjoy the stay-and-play sessions

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need to do better?

and helping their children to choose items from home for the daily show-and-tell discussion. Parents express complete satisfaction with the care and learning

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need to do better?

21 November 2019 their children receive. n Staff work closely with other settings. They share meaningful information to help provide consistency for children who receive shared care. Staff liaise with school teachers to support older children's move to school. They mirror activities, such as phonics and send home reading books in bags, in preparation for the transition. n Assessments showed that, in the past, use of technology was not well developed. The manager used early years pupil premium funding to purchase extra resources including microphones, tape recorders and cameras. The impact was positive. Children now access this aspect of provision, make good progress in this area and operate technology devices with confidence. For example, children talk and sing into microphones, record their voices and play them back for staff to hear. Staff interact well with children, which helps them develop their language and vocabulary. However, occasionally, the questioning techniques

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need to do better?

used by staff do not challenge children's thinking skills. n The manager works closely with staff. She provides training and regular time for chats to discuss staff workload and any support they need. Staff observe each other's practice and share constructive feedback. This helps them to ensure that teaching is of a good standard. A shared approach to self-evaluation means everyone is involved and able to make positive changes. n Overall, the curriculum is well planned and helps children to develop skills and make good progress. However, sometimes the manager's intent for the curriculum is not realised and fully implemented by staff, particularly during group activities and story sessions. There are times when activities are not tailored to promote individual children's learning needs. Some children lose interest and others find it difficult to maintain attention, as staff focus on teaching the group.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their responsibility to keep children safe. All staff hold paediatric first-aid qualifications. Staff have completed safeguarding training, including four members of staff who hold higher level training in child protection. This means that many staff are well trained in dealing with any potential child protection issues. Everyone knows what steps to take if they are concerned about the actions of a colleague. Staff closely monitor children's attendance and contact parents to check that children are safe and well. The hall is shared with the local scout group and staff arrive early to set up the hall and make it safe.

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should:

21 November 2019 n strengthen the use of questioning techniques to challenge and extend all children's thinking skills further n plan more precisely to focus on individual children's capabilities and learning needs, for example during group activities and story time sessions, where children of mixed ages and abilities are together.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 307139 Local authority Stockport Inspection number 10109867 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 25 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Orrishmere Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 0161 4861 546 Date of previous inspection 2 December 2014

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Information about this early years setting

First Steps Orrishmere Pre-School registered in 1992 and operates from the scout headquarters in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 3.30pm, during term time only. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds level 6. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and the manager completed a tour of the setting to gain an understanding of how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation of teaching was carried out by the inspector and the manager. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n A sample of documentation was reviewed. This included evidence of staff suitability, training and paediatric first-aid certificates. n The quality of education was observed indoors and outdoors. n Parents' views were obtained.

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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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