Peardrops Pre-School

Inspection of Peardrops Pre-School St Mary's Primary School, Swindon SN5 4AR

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

All children are happy and settled, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They develop secure relationships with their key persons, who are highly responsive to children's needs. Staff support children well to boost their confidence and emotional well-being. Children show respect, care and kindness towards their peers, such as helping them to find their coats, and they play well together.

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The provision is good

Children develop their communication and language skills. They receive targeted support from staff who have high ambitions for all children. For example, staff use signs and picture images to help children understand their expectations and to make choices in their play. The special educational needs coordinator is extremely proactive and plans effective small-group activities based on children's stage of development. She makes good use of tailored language programmes to encourage children to talk and extend their language.

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy song times, joining in with the actions and words. Staff support all children to remain focused and engaged. For instance, during a practice for the nativity play, they give some children song sheets to 'read' the words, which helps children to recognise what song comes next. Staff introduce resources effectively, for example instruments and ribbons on sticks to encourage children to move their bodies in time to the rhythm.

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need to do better?

n Staff use children's interests and what they need to learn next to plan a range of interesting activities to help them achieve. They work effectively with parents and a wide range of professionals. Staff attend meetings and implement strategies to help children, including those with SEND, to make steady progress from their starting points. n Staff have made good links with the host school. These include attending phonics training to help staff to teach children the correct phonic sounds for letters as part of their literacy development. Children are confident to access a range of tools to practise their early writing skills. Some children form recognisable letters and write their name. n Children enjoy craft activities and show pride in their achievements, such as creating their faces on a paper plate. Staff support children to look at their faces in mirrors and talk about what they can see. They encourage children to develop

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need to do better?

their own creative ideas, for instance, as children decide to use red wool for hair because red is their favourite colour. Children show good coordination skills as they use scissors, glue and tape to cut and stick. n Staff make good use of opportunities to extend children's mathematical learning.

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need to do better?

12 December 2019 For instance, as children build a high tower out of wooden blocks, staff talk to them about the properties of different shapes. Children enjoy comparing the heights and ages of staff and children, learning that the shortest child does not mean that they are the youngest. n Children develop positive attitudes to learning and, overall, they are keen to engage in the activities on offer. However, some whole-group activities do not support all children as well as possible, and daily routines result in children being kept waiting too long, which wastes their play and learning time. n Staff help children to gain social skills and independence. Children take turns, for example, to hang plastic monkeys on the branches of a tree. They take responsibility for tasks, such as helping to tidy away the toys. Children pour their own drinks and learn to put on their coats. n The owner/manager reflects on the quality of the curriculum and supports staff

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need to do better?

to develop their skills and knowledge. She has made many changes since registration. For example, she has used additional funding effectively to support children's development, such as the creation of a cosy sensory area. Children enjoy using this area, for instance as they engage in role play as builders to build a house. They develop their imagination as they have a 'tea break' and pour their 'tea' into their china mugs. Staff ask children effective questions about building materials to extend their language and learning. Children work cooperatively and share the resources and their ideas. n Children benefit from regular exercise and outdoor play. They enjoy yoga sessions, forest school activities, 'welly walks' and visits to the local library and church. This helps children to develop their physical skills and learn about the local environment. However, the owner/manager recognises the need to promote children's different home languages and to support them to value their

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need to do better?

cultural heritage. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents talk extremely positively about the owner/manager and staff. They like having access to their children's learning journals online which include photographs, observations and assessments from staff. Parents feel involved in their children's learning. They appreciate the support they receive from staff to help children achieve their next developmental steps at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The owner/manager promotes a culture of safeguarding to identify those children who may need early help or are at risk of harm. Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of child protection. They know what to do and who to contact should they have any concerns about a child or adult. The owner/manager has recently attended safer recruitment training and understands the importance of using robust procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. She checks staff's ongoing suitability for their role regularly. Staff give children good explanations about how to handle and move resources safely to keep themselves and others safe.

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should:

n develop ways to support children's different home languages and help children to value their different cultural backgrounds n review the organisation of daily routines and group activities to ensure children are not kept waiting too long and to make the most of their play and learning time.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY548343 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10107020 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 24 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Grigg, Sarah Jane

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reference number

Telephone number 01793 978536 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Peardrops Pre-School registered in 2017. It is one of two privately owned settings in Purton near Swindon and operates from the grounds of St Mary's Church of England Primary School. The pre-school opens during school term times, Monday to Thursday from 8.25am to 3.25pm and Friday from 8.25am to 11.55am. The pre- school employs 12 staff who work with the children, including the owner/manager. Of these, nine staff hold relevant early years qualifications from level 6 to level 2, and one member of staff is a qualified secondary school teacher. Two other staff are working towards qualifications at level 3. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector had a tour of the premises and talked to the owner/manager, staff and children at appropriate times. n The inspector observed the quality of staff's interactions with children, indoors and outdoors. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the owner/manager and evaluated the quality of teaching. n The inspector talked to parents, read parents' written feedback prepared for the inspection, and considered their views. n The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including staff's and children's records.

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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

12 December 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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