Little Learners Pre School

Inspection of Little Learners Pre School Baptist Church Hall, Old Milton Road, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6DQ

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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

The caring and competent provider/manager is very child focused and makes sure all children achieve. Children feel extremely welcomed because the cohesive staff team creates an intimate, family atmosphere to help them settle quickly. For example, staff use children's favourite cartoon characters as a topic to ignite their interest in play and learning. Staff place high emphasis on maintaining an inclusive pre-school. They go to great lengths to ensure children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive and feel nurtured. Children have a lot of fun during their learning opportunities, particularly when they come together as a whole group. For instance, they listen well, laugh and join in enthusiastically as they wear animal masks and sing a variety of songs.

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The provision is good

Children feel very safe, and develop good levels of confidence and behaviour. They are well motivated to learn. Children take part in all play activities with ease and excitement. For example, staff encourage children to make choices in play by a picture and number recognition system. Children become focused and engaged in play, such as when they explore the mud kitchen with their friends, outdoors, using real vegetables. They show an appetite for learning and rise to the challenges which are expected of them by the fully trained staff. They demonstrate they are well placed to be successful in their future lives.

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need to do better?

n The provider/manager shows dedication to her role, offering quality care and education to young children in the community. Her ethos is very evident, offering a blended mix of play and adult-led learning activities based on the variable and unique needs of the children. Children learn simple sign language and reap the benefits of the opportunities offered to them at pre-school. n The quality of teaching is consistently good, including for children with SEND. Staff quickly assess children's abilities when they first start and implement good plans to help them achieve and make progress. For example, there is strong emphasis on daily and regular small-group activities to focus on children's listening, attention and speaking skills. However, there is scope to extend the most able children further. n Children are very happy and have an enjoyable time at pre-school. They benefit from an effective key-person system. Staff know children well and build strong

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need to do better?

relationships with them. When they identify concerns about a child's development, staff take swift action and work extremely well with parents to support them and their child through difficult times successfully. n Children are well behaved. Staff are good role models and have high expectations, which has a positive effect on children who start with challenging behaviour. Children show kindness and respect for one another, such as when

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need to do better?

25 November 2019 they hold hands during play or share a book together about a hospital. n The provider/manager reflects on and evaluates the quality of the provision and children's progress successfully to identify areas to improve. For example, they recently introduced loose-parts play for children to explore and use imaginatively. However, some of the artwork children complete is restrictive in creative design and is less expressive. n The provider/manager and special educational needs coordinator liaise with parents, key persons and other professionals effectively for those children who need extra support. For example, they liaise with health visitors and workers who provide home teaching for children with SEND. They use the information gathered to create individual plans to help close any gaps in learning. n The provider/manager provides staff with regular supervision arrangements and opportunities to develop their knowledge. For example, two staff recently

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need to do better?

attended 'early talk boost', which they plan to put in place soon. However, the specific coaching opportunities to help all staff enhance their teaching skills to an outstanding level is informal. n Parents are full of praise for the provider/manager and staff. They feel well informed about their children's daily care and education. Parents appreciate staff's suggestions to help them support their child's learning at home and to make the move to school as smooth and seamless as possible.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider/manager and staff are well trained in child protection. They are confident at recognising and reporting any signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. This includes familiarity with identifying wider safeguarding issues, such as radicalisation. The designated lead for safeguarding liaises effectively with social workers and other professionals to help keep children safe. After recent training, the provider/manager improved their safeguarding systems by including the local safeguarding team contact telephone numbers on staff's lanyards. A red card system is used between staff if they wish to alert one another about a safeguarding concern. The provider/manager follows safer recruitment procedures when appointing new staff, which includes vetting and suitability checks.

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should:

n extend the support and challenge for the most able children n develop the area of expressive arts and design, such as encouraging children to represent art in a variety of ways n strengthen staff's coaching arrangements, to help all staff develop and enhance their teaching practice to an outstanding level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY289871 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10063205 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 20 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Marsh, Sarah Jane

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reference number

Telephone number 07748608192 Date of previous inspection 6 July 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Little Learners Pre School registered in 2004. It is privately owned and located in New Milton, Hampshire. The pre-school is open weekdays during term time only, from 8.30am until 4pm on Monday and Thursday and from 8.30am until 1.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four. There are five members of staff. Of whom, one holds an early years qualification at level 5, one at level 4 and three hold qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out a learning walk with the provider to discuss how they organise the early years provision. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider/manager. n The inspector talked to the provider/manager, staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n The provider/manager and the inspector held a leadership and management meeting. The inspector looked at a sample of the pre-school's documents.

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Inspection activities

25 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

25 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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