Tiny Tows Pre School

Inspection of Tiny Tows Pre School Islington Road, Towcester NN12 6AU

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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 secure and show positive attitudes to their play and learning. They particularly benefit from being able to choose to play in the indoor or outdoor areas. Children become engrossed in free play and enjoy dressing up. They are confident and capable communicators. For instance, they are excited to tell visitors all about the magical fairy they are dressed up as and that they have 'big silver wings'. Children behave well. Staff support them to learn about rules and boundaries. They provide children with lots of praise and encouragement, and this helps to build their positive self-esteem. Children's curiosity is promoted as they role play making pretend diners using fresh vegetables. They use their good hand- to-eye coordination as they chop and mix the ingredients and pretend to taste them.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. They are experienced and highly dedicated to providing experiences that benefit the changing interests of the children. Staff work extremely closely with parents and the school. Older children spend time every week visiting the foundation classes. This unique arrangement helps to build successful partnerships with teachers and promotes a smooth transition for the children starting school next year. Parents comment that their children thoroughly enjoy attending the pre-school. They state that they value the feedback they get from staff about their children's progress.

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need to do better?

n Staff build strong and caring relationships with the children. They get to know children's family backgrounds and find out about their prior experiences. Staff use this information to help them to provide interesting play opportunities. Outdoors, children learn new skills and enjoy exploring using all their senses. They make marks with paints and use their whole hands to make prints in flour. Staff skilfully engage themselves in children's play and enhance their learning. For instance, they add spoons and water to the flour so children can make a pretend Christmas cake. n Children's mathematical skills are supported well. Staff encourage children to count, compare sizes and use positional language in their play, such as 'on top of'. Children are beginning to solve problems for themselves, such as working out the right length of sticky tape they need. n Staff promote children's language and communication skills well. They engage

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need to do better?

children in meaningful conversations at every opportunity. Children are introduced to new words and are given time to respond to questions. Staff encourage children to come up with their own ideas and value their views. However, staff do not always make the most of opportunities for children to access and use books independently to further support their literacy skills.

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need to do better?

28 November 2019 n Children enjoy practising their physical skills, such as filling and emptying containers with water. Staff support them to develop control over their finer movements. Children squeeze pipettes to drawn up water and laugh loudly as they use their pincer grip to squirt it out. Staff support children to share and take turns in their play. Children use their manners routinely. They are polite and show kindness towards their friends and staff. n Staff have a good understanding of children's individual needs and level of development. They are aware of what children know and what they need to learn next. Staff plan a high-quality curriculum that promotes children's learning. They carefully monitor the progress that children are making and implement effective strategies to help close any gaps. Additional funding is used effectively. For example, the manager has secured specialist support to help boost children's

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need to do better?

speech and language development. n Children develop special friendships and are keen to sit next to their friends at lunchtime. They demonstrate their growing independence as they fetch their own lunchbox and wash their hands prior to eating. However, staff miss opportunities to reinforce children's understanding of healthy eating and making positive food choices. n The manager, staff and committee are committed to providing high-quality education and care for all the children. The manager actively seeks feedback from staff, parents and children to help her make improvements to the pre- school. The manager uses supervision effectively to help identify ways to raise the quality of staff's teaching even further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff demonstrate a culture of vigilance. They have a good understanding of how to recognise and report any potential signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. They access regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Staff are familiar with wider safeguarding matters and know how to identify and respond to these. This helps to support children's welfare. The manager follows robust recruitment processes. This helps to ensure the suitability of staff who work with children. The manager works well with outside agencies to ensure that children receive the help and support they need.

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should:

n maximise opportunities for children to readily access and use books more freely and independently, to further support their interest in reading and literacy skills n support staff to make the most of opportunities to further develop children's understanding of healthy eating and making positive food choices.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219966 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10106660 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 to 5 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person Tiny Tows Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 01327 354815 Date of previous inspection 24 March 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Tiny Tows Pre School registered in 1999 and is located in Towcester, Northamptonshire. It is situated within a primary school and is independently managed by a committee. The pre-school employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector completed a learning walk of the areas used by children with the manager and discussed how the early years provision is organised. n The inspector held discussions with staff and spoke with children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre- school and members of the committee, complaint procedures and staff qualifications. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views from documents provided by the manager for the inspection.

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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

28 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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